05-07-2025
Celebrating the U.S. in Canada During Turmoil in the Two Countries' Relations
The annual Fourth of July party hosted by the U.S. ambassador to Canada on the park-size grounds of his official residence has long been one of Ottawa's biggest social events.
But after months of President Trump belittling Canada's viability as a nation and threatening to use economic chaos to force its annexation as the 51st state, the idea of gathering to celebrate the United States in Canada's capital was, well, a bit awkward this year.
I went down to Lornado, the residence, late Friday afternoon to see if the boycotts by Canadians of American-made goods and travel to the United States would extend to the party marking the country's national holiday.
(I attended as an accredited journalist, not as an invited guest, and the only hospitality I accepted was two glasses of water.)
The turnout was decidedly smaller than in past years, and the seating and food stations were somewhat scaled down. Many guests who have attended in past years told me they estimated the crowd was about half the usual size, though there were nevertheless a substantial number of people.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
