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Canadians broadly support Prime Minister Mark Carney’s decision to walk away from trade negotiations with the United States, but new polling reveals that this resolve is far from uniform. Research by Ipsos, conducted exclusively for Global News, shows that support for Canada’s trade war stance divides sharply along generational and income lines — raising questions about how long public backing can hold as economic pressure mounts.
Strong Overall Support, But With Clear Limits
Sixty-three percent of Canadians say Canada was right to stand firm against the United States, even knowing the decision would likely mean higher tariffs and significant job losses. Only 18 percent believed Canada should have made further compromises to secure a deal. That broad support holds consistently across every region of the country.
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Beneath that headline figure, however, a familiar generational divide emerges. Baby boomers back Carney’s decision overwhelmingly, with 80 percent in support. Canadians with university degrees follow closely at 74 percent, and those earning more than $100,000 per year show 76 percent support. Among Generation Z — the youngest adult cohort — support drops to just 48 percent.
The pattern is consistent: Canadians who are older, more educated, and more financially secure tend to back the government’s tough stance. Those who are younger or earning less are considerably less enthusiastic. As Ipsos senior vice president Gregory Jack put it, defending Canadian sovereignty is manageable for those who can afford it — and a genuine personal risk for those who cannot.
Willingness to Absorb Economic Pain Varies Widely
A slim majority of Canadians say they are prepared to endure significant economic hardship in solidarity with the rest of the country. But again, the numbers shift dramatically by age and income. Just 41 percent of Gen Z respondents say they are willing to pay a personal price, compared to 67 percent of baby boomers.
Income tells a similar story. Among Canadians earning less than $40,000 annually, 45 percent say they can absorb additional costs. That figure rises to 61 percent among those earning more than $100,000. The Canada-U.S. trade war stance, in practice, asks the most of those least equipped to give it.
This dynamic reflects what Ipsos describes as an “Endurance Economy” — a period defined by persistent cost-of-living pressures and widespread economic uncertainty. The Canadians most burdened by that environment are also the ones most exposed to the effects of ongoing tariffs, and the most likely to have preferred a negotiated compromise.
Canadians Debate Who Should Bear the Cost
Ipsos also posed open-ended questions to Canadians through its Communities platform, asking who should absorb the financial burden of the trade dispute. The responses point to a public that wants the costs distributed upward — toward governments, wealthy individuals, and large corporations — rather than onto ordinary households.
One respondent stated plainly: “The extremely wealthy should have increased taxes, as should big rich corporations. I don’t feel willing to accept any costs. I’m maxed out, on a fixed income and falling behind already. I think seniors should be protected. We’ve paid our dues.”
Another raised concerns about corporate opportunism during the dispute. “I would not be willing to accept higher prices from big established brands who want to use this transitory period for profiteering,” that respondent wrote, adding that “small businesses need to be protected from these costs.”
Confidence in Leadership May Erode Over Time
Currently, 59 percent of Canadians feel confident that political leaders can manage U.S. President Donald Trump and navigate the trade conflict. That confidence, however, may be time-sensitive. Seven in ten Canadians — 67 percent — believe the tension will not resolve soon, a figure that has risen three points since July 2025.
The longer the Canada-U.S. trade war drags on, the more household finances will shape public opinion. Canadians who today express solidarity may find their tolerance shrinking as costs accumulate and uncertainty persists.
For now, the country presents a united front. But that unity rests on an uneven foundation. Whether public support holds will depend heavily on whether Canadians believe the economic burden is being shared fairly — and on how much longer those with the least are asked to carry it.
