A Canadian Christian politician’s view
Amidst a rare US-Canada clash of global significance, John McKay speaks his mind
John McKay, member of the Canadian Parliament
(Note: Links to alternative viewpoints appear below this article. I encourage you to read various perspectives.)
A temporary tariff truce was reached on February 4 between the US, Canada, and Mexico (although US tariffs against China have taken effect and President Trump has since announced steel and aluminum tariffs to take effect in March). The threat of an economic clash brought a worldwide spotlight on Canada, a generally quiet, harmonious country whose economy depends heavily on integrated trade with the US.
On February 1–2, as tariffs appeared about to take effect, Canadian unity and patriotism soared. Canadian provincial premiers pulled US products off shelves, while Canadian citizens canceled their US vacations and booed the US national anthem at sports events involving American visiting teams.
Canada does have a trade surplus with the US when oil exports are included, but few observers outside the Trump administration—especially in Canada—felt that risking a tariff war would be good diplomatically or for North American economies.
Wondering how a Christian in Canadian government felt about the situation, I reached out to John McKay of Scarborough, Ontario (east of Toronto), who has been a Liberal Party member of the Canadian parliament since 1997. Previously a lawyer before entering politics full-time, McKay has served as Parliamentary Secretary to Canada’s Minister of Finance and has chaired the committee responsible for defense and security. He has also chairs the Canada-US Inter-Parliamentary Group, composed of legislators from both countries.
Among his achievements as a legislator, McKay initiated the bill that made Canada the first nation in the world to require tobacco countries to produce fire-safe cigarettes. Other measures that have become law at his initiation have established human rights accountability in Canadian foreign aid and required Canadian companies to certify that no slave labor is involved anywhere in their supply chains.
I asked McKay about his work as a Christian in national leadership, his reactions to the recent US-Canada clash, and his suggestions for Christian leaders around the world seeking to have a positive influence on their government. His opinions are his own.
What was your reaction to President Trump’s tariff threats?
The Sermon on the Mount says that your yes should be yes and your no should be no (Matthew 5:37). Your word should be your bond. Canada signed a trade deal with Donald Trump in 2017. At the time, he called it the greatest deal ever. But we know from history that if you shake your hand with Donald Trump on a deal, you will want to count your fingers after you pull your hand out. The best you can do when negotiating with someone like that is to make the document as plain as it can be, because you know that honesty is not within his repertoire and that he will want to renegotiate again and again.
What would you say to US Christians who support Trump?
Be careful what you wish for. You may think you have gotten your man in the White House, but in the process of doing so, you have alienated vast swaths of people who might actually think about becoming Christians. You have turned “evangelical” into a dirty word in Canada and made things really awkward for those of us who are followers of Jesus. You have selected someone as your standard bearer who is manifestly immoral and unfit, on the basis of some social issues that, while important, are not the only issues.
In 15 days as President, Trump started two tariff wars, humiliated Colombia, angered Brazil, dropped bombs on Somalia, has the European Union upset with him, and said that a tragic airplane crash was due to DEI policies. He threatens to bulldoze Gaza and turn it into a Middle East Riviera. I have sympathy for world leaders [who have to deal with him]. America will get no grace in the world for the next four years.
What frustrates me is that so many decent people seem unable or unwilling to do what they know is right because they are terrorized by Trump. Others are happy to go along with the manipulations because it suits their hunger for power.
A few months ago, several of us from Canada met with a US Republican congressman who had been complaining about northern border issues. I led the delegation. I asked him what his issues were, and he wasn’t able to articulate them. He had no knowledge of Canada. What can you do when a US political leader is complaining about Canada and knows nothing about the issues?
I don’t think we can underestimate the negative impact of American evangelical politics on Christianity around the world.
What message do you have for Christian leaders in the rest of the world?
I would say optimistically that “this too shall pass,” but I don’t see it passing quickly. Power abhors a vacuum. The Chinese already have a huge presence in Africa. The consequence [of US foreign policy under Trump] will be that Chinese and Russian influence in other nations will increase. And that could exaggerate the “Big Man” phenomenon [of dictatorial leaders], because China and Russia prefer to deal with a dictator than with a messy democracy.
Generally, countries assert their foreign influence or presence through the 3 Ds of diplomacy, defense, and development. By canceling US aid, the US is hobbling itself by relying only on diplomacy and defense. And diplomacy is usually tied with development, so their diplomatic effectiveness will be diminished and they will become entirely reliant on defense. They have done a magnificent job of offending key partners, which will drive other nations into the arms of Putin and Xi.
Your party, the Liberals, tends to lean left on policy. What has your experience within the party been?
I don’t deviate from what I consider to be core Christian views, and I’m not under any illusion that the right side of the political spectrum will somehow be a moral nirvana. The party leaders I’ve served under have been decent human beings, competent, and with the best interest of the Canadian public in mind. Each of them is a serious Christian in their own way. Justin Trudeau, in fact, has attended the Alpha course. In my case, I’m reasonably happy with what I have been able to do within the Liberal Party.
Other views
I’ve promised to present alternative views on contested issues. Scholar and columnist Victor Davis Hanson, author of The Case for Trump, has vigorously defended Trump’s actions on trade (including Canada) and foreign policy.
Many articles have accused USAID of advancing progressive ideology in ways that do not serve US interests. One such article cites objections by British opposition leader Nigel Farage.
The closest thing I have found to an attempt to explain why the Trump administration froze all USAID assistance including humanitarian programs, not just the things they didn’t like, is this two-minute clip from Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In answer to a longwinded reporter’s question, Rubio claims that the administration could not get answers from USAID as to where its money was going until it imposed the freeze; that the administration will maintain foreign aid “that makes sense” and is in US interests; and that Costa Rica had received a waiver because it is a trusted partner.