Myths and values: the United States and Canada

The sun is sinking on the American Empire, and, in this century, may decline below the horizon. Living next door, Canada is looking to cushion itself.
Donald Trump, left, and Mark Carney, pictured May 6, 2025, in the Oval Office. As the U.S. retreats into its own satellite world, Ottawa is seeking to loosen the gravitational pull, reaching out to others for investment, trade, and new defence relationships. It can no longer depend on U.S. goodwill, writes Nelson Wiseman.

TORONTO—People have a need for mythical narratives, and history makes for legends. The founding myth of the United States is independence from Britain and its hereditary monarch after years of bloody battles. Although the national roots of the U.S. lie in British history, ...

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