Although it seems that the Great White North may be out of the crosshairs for the moment as the Trump administration expands its tariff talks from Canada and Mexico to a large portion of the rest of the world, the past few months have been marked by high tensions, high anxiety, and plenty of uncertainty.
The turbid landscape has resulted in protests, booing anthems at hockey games, a renewed show of Canadian patriotism, and fears of travelling over the border due to a travel advisory issued by Canada, all of which have dominated the mainstream conversation about Canada-U.S. relations.
The strife has meant that many Canadians have lost interest in travelling south for various reasons, including fear and principle. What receives less exposure, however, is the few canucks who still do go.
In the swirling storm, one may wonder what it’s like to be across the border at this time and what relations between Canadians and Americans look like on the ground as a historic moment unfolds.
Three months in the U.S.
One group that can address the questions above is the snowbird population. When the mercury begins to fall each year, snowbirds “migrate” south to trade the cold months for warmer ones.
According to snowbirdadvisor.ca’s map of popular destinations for the seasonal travellers, the U.S. is, by far, the most popular country for Canadian snowbirds to visit, especially the states of Florida, Arizona, California, and Nevada.
One example of a Pembina Valley-based snowbird is Mrs. Hildebrand, who spent three months in the south this year.
So, how was it?
In short, despite recent horror stories about Canadians’ experiences in the U.S., the snowbird's trip went well.
“Trump did his thing, and all the Americans were very friendly to us. We never felt like we were unwelcome there or anything,” says Hildebrand.
“We've been going for about twenty-some years already, and I can literally say there wasn't anything different other than the prices are going sky high with groceries .... Everything else seemed very normal.”
One of the noteworthy things about Hildebrand’s experience is that despite the trip going smoothly, it was not without messaging that it would be to the contrary.
However, the unease did not come from physically being in the U.S. but rather from the mainstream coverage of the country and its border.
Fears despite a ‘normal’ experience
Hildebrand says that while she was away from the Pembina Valley, as any Canadian in the U.S. in 2025 would, she kept a close eye on the news.
“Our American friends are concerned [about how] Trump is treating Canadians .... The American friends that we had were just feeling sorry if we were going to get hassled at the border.”
-Mrs. Hildebrand, snowbird who spent three months in the U.S. in 2025.
Despite the commentary, warnings, and fear she saw online, it seemed to tell a different story than what she was experiencing.
"When we were down South, I would read all these Facebook posts all the time, and I couldn't believe what they were saying. We weren't sure what to expect, but it was normal,” she says.
“It seems like everybody's worried, but really, they shouldn't be .... Our kids also went to the U.S. during this time, and they, too, said there was no hassle. [The border guards] were friendly.”
Hildebrand notes that crossing the border on the way back home was also straightforward and without complications.
How do the Americans feel?
Hildebrand guesses her fellow Canadian snowbirds had a similar experience and opinion about the situation, but what about her American friends?
“Our American friends are concerned [about how] Trump is treating Canadians,” she says. “The American friends that we had were just feeling sorry if we were going to get hassled at the border.”
Hildebrand says that some Americans were even more friendly to her and her party, given the circumstances.
“We went to a restaurant somewhere, and they found out we were Canadian. They were just bending over backwards to please us and apologizing and saying sorry ... about this thing that's going on," she says.
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For Hildebrand, enjoying the company of American neighbours has been a characteristic of her time as a snowbird, and the tensions between Canada and the U.S. have not changed that in the slightest.
Her living arrangements down south even illustrate her experience.
In Hildebrand’s community, she coexists with a small group of American snowbirds from Washington — and no matter the circumstance, they are dependable and kind.
“They bend over backwards to help us,” she says.
With files from Connie Bailey