Do Good Fences Make Good Neighbours?
Editorial by Kelsey Raynard
The status quo is no longer status. Canadians have long prided themselves on being the friendly neighbour, but with recent developments in the USA (and specifically in our closest neighbouring state of Minnesota), is it clear that this relationship is changing.
The dichotomy of physical proximity and cultural separation between our two countries is sometimes staggering. Canadians of various political affiliations are watching what is unfolding in Minneapolis with a range of shock, anger, sadness, bewilderment, and fear. It would be naive to say that some Canadians aren’t watching with support and encouragement, however misguided they may be (although they seem to be in the minority).
Despite the current perceived chasm between us, we cannot deny our shared history of good memories. Growing up in Thunder Bay meant regular trips to Ryden’s for snacks and packages, Grand Marais for 4th of July fireworks and weekend road trips, Duluth and Minneapolis for back-to-school shopping, and even farther south for the winter. Looking back at these memories may bring a sense of grief, both for what has been, what is to come, and what may never be again.
In The Mending Wall by Robert Frost, the narrator contemplates the belief that good fences make good neighbours. While many interpret the poem to mean that there is a need for clear boundaries and separation to prevent conflict, Frost muses that these man-made borders are merely symbolic, ineffective, and unnecessary. For many years, Indigenous folks from across Turtle Island have loudly proclaimed that all borders are arbitrary, and that no one is illegal on stolen land. Does the border between us make us so different after all?
As Canadians, as self-proclaimed friendly neighbours, is it our duty to help? To remain cordial? To enforce boundaries? To give space? To put our collective “elbows up”? To reach out and offer support? To build the fence higher? Or tear it down? I don’t know the answer, and to be frank, I don’t even know the right question. The words “unprecedented times” have circulated a lot since 2020, but they seem to be one of the only agreeable ways to describe our current climate.
It is important to recognize that the USA, like Canada, is not a monolith, and many, many people will disagree just as strongly with what is happening as will disagree with what I’m saying. Some Canadians have not stopped their routine neighbourly visits, while others have vowed to never return. I imagine the same duality exists in America towards Canadians as well.
Regardless of our differences, the altruist in me believes that there must be a shared humanity between us and a collective desire to be better (and maybe even better neighbours)? To our neighbours to the south, just know that while we may not agree on a path forward, many of us see you and your struggles and we support you, but we may not be ready to cross that fence —however real or arbitrary it may be—just yet.
