With Trump’s return, another wave of uncertainty washes over Canadian politics [Video]

For Canadians, American democracy is a spectator sport, a source of eternal concern and a measuring stick — a spectacle we regard with a mix of fascination, inspiration, fear and powerlessness, all the while defining ourselves by how we compare.

The United States is both our loud neighbour and — by orders of magnitude — our most valuable trading partner. But living beside (and under the umbrella of) the world’s most powerful democracy has also brought with it a certain peace of mind. At least, until recently.

Now, once again, Canada is forced to confront the profound uncertainty that comes with living beside, and being so deeply entwined with, a country whose highest elected office will soon be held by Donald J. Trump. 

The election of Trump in 2016 was a shock. It upended assumptions about what could be taken for granted in American politics and the global order. And …