Donald Trump will be back in the White House and panic is setting in in Canada. There is no denying that Donald Trump’s first presidency brought significant upheaval. His controversial positions, his aggressive communication style, his unorthodox approach to politics and governance, and his capacity to get away with murder – well, with other crimes anyway – is met with a mix of fascination and alarm. But, as depressing as his victory might be for many,  Canadians need to take a step back and calm down about President Trump and his influence on Canada.

The United States is Canada’s largest trading partner. We share deep economic, diplomatic, cultural, and social ties. Of course, any shift in American politics can have ripple effects in Canada. For instance, many believe that part of Justin Trudeau’s electoral victory in 2019 was in reaction to Donald Trump’s presidency. The contrast between the two men couldn’t be starker, while Pierre Poilievre’s approach and tactics are easily compared to Trump’s Republicans. Many lifted directly from Trump’s playbook.

The Canadian media coverage of U.S. politics skyrocketed in the run up to the US election. From daily social media posts to round-the-clock coverage to special envoys in the most obscure areas of deep America, Canadians have been constantly exposed to the horse race. With Joe Biden faltering, a sense of anxiety was setting in, until Canadians collectively sighed a breath of relief when Kamala Harris took over the Democratic ticket. Bonus points for her, she went to school right here at home, in Montreal. Yes, she can! With the exception of about half the Conservative voters and a handful of other party supporters, Canadians were rooting for Kamala.

On that note, a lesson for the Liberal rebels, who saw in Biden’s replacement by Harris a recipe to handle their own fate by deposing Justin Trudeau and replacing him with an as of yet unknown saviour. The truth is that Hail Mary passes rarely work in politics. Either you make a change early to handle electoral fatigue, or you stick with your leader to weather the storm.

With Trump’s most recent win, the disappointment felt by some of our American friends has been enormous and the reactions visceral. For that reason, the Canadian media coverage will not slow down. All of Trump’s statements, tweets, and policy proposals will be scrutinized and analyzed with a Canadian lens. This intense coverage will heighten our collective anxiety. How could this happen again? Perhaps we should start thinking about how it could happen here?

Trump’s return to the White House has already triggered a series of political, governance and even policing decisions. Quebec Premier François Legault has expressed concerns about a potential “massive influx of immigrants” into the province following Trump’s  victory, stating once again that Quebec has already reached its capacity to welcome newcomers. Legault urged Canada to “act quickly” to secure the border in anticipation of a possible wave of migrants seeking refuge, like many did following Trump’s first presidency. Not to be outdone, Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon is fearmongering about “millions” of people who might consider moving north following Trump’s election.

As a result, the border between Canada and the United States is now under closer surveillance. The RCMP say they are fully prepared to handle a potential migration crisis caused by an influx of individuals without legal status fleeing the US before President Trump goes ahead with his deportation policy.  The RCMP has deployed officers on the ground and developed contingency plans to bring in additional reinforcements if necessary.

But for the immediate future, nothing really changes except perception. While it’s natural to feel concerned about American leadership, Canada’s best approach is to engage constructively and pragmatically with whoever is in office. The early public statements from the Trudeau government are reflecting exactly that, despite the defeated body language of Foreign Affairs’ Minister Mélanie Joly after the election.

The media saturation has led to an exaggeration of the actual impact on Canadians’ lives. But we survived his first presidency and we will survive his second. The Apocalypse is not upon us. Hopefully…