An American man has designed a bumper sticker to show support for Canada amid rising tensions between the two countries.
Brian Calder is a dual citizen, having grown up in Vancouver. He now resides in Point Roberts, Washington.
“My ties are similar to many people here, 55 per cent of us are dual and 70 per cent of the property here is owned by Canadians in Point Roberts,” he said.
The community of Point Roberts is a pene-exclave of Washington and is attached to Canada on the most southern tip of British Columbia.
Some locals living in Point Roberts told Glacier Media they feel "stuck in the middle" and like an "unwanted orphan" to America. Rising tensions between Americans and Canadians in recent weeks due to tariff threats are exasperating their feelings of being torn between the two, they say.
"We're not at war with each other. Why is anyone trying to declare emotional war with our best friends?” asked Calder. "That’s just absolutely dumb.”
Animosity started building in early February during a month-long pause on tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump on most Canadian goods. On March 4, the 25 per cent levy will go into effect, according to Trump.
“People are angry and apprehensive and fearful, all those negative emotions,” said Calder. "I get it. If you threaten someone's sovereignty, they're ticked off and they're going to retaliate, and we're caught in the middle of that.”
Canadians have responded to the tariff threats by supporting local businesses.
"There's no winners on either side, and it's an emotional break in our trust, in our friendship and being allies for 200 years,” he said.
Bumper stickers selling fast
As a symbol of support, Calder decided to make a bumper sticker that reads "Point Roberts Wa Supports Canada."
In just a matter of days, they sold more than 90 stickers to people in Point Roberts.
“People are supporting it because it conveys how they feel in their hearts,” he said. “We are trying to express what we think is right and to calm down the rhetoric.”
Ailish Wallace grew up in Tsawwassen, B.C., and would spent her summers in Point Roberts. She met her husband while working at a pub in Point Roberts and has now lived in the community for 22 years. She currently manages the Saltwater Cafe, one of the locations people can find the Calder-designed stickers. They're also available at the Point Roberts Marketplace.
She recently drove her vehicle, with her Washington licence plate, into B.C. and was asked why she was in Canada.
"We are a very unique community, and we support Canada the way Canada has supported us, and we want that friendship and that unity to continue,” she said.
Wallace said there's been a lot of "excitement" and "encouragement" around the stickers.
"People are buying stacks of them now to hand them out to their friends in Canada,” she said. "It’s important that people realize we need Canada, and they need us, so we want to stick together."
Strong ties to B.C.
Point Roberts' potable water comes from Metro Vancouver and their electrical power comes from B.C.
Calder noted that all of their building and construction material also comes from B.C.
“Our roofing, our walls and carpets and appliances, we buy in the Lower Mainland,” he said.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the small community was on lockdown and the economy suffered. Calder said Point Roberts has been trying to recover ever since and the recent tensions feel like another hurdle to overcome.
The dual citizen has petitioned B.C. Premier David Eby to consider exemptions for Point Roberts on water and power tariffs.
“Economically, we're going to have no impact either in the U.S. or Canada, as far as economy and revenue," he said. "It's our lifeblood to us."
Calder said many U.S. companies will not supply trades and services from the Bellingham area to Point Roberts.
“It's a cross-border economic benefit, both us buying there and them buying here, and it should not be tossed out or adversely affected,” he told Glacier Media.
Golf course relies on Canadians 'completely'
The Point Roberts Golf and Country Club has been closed since the start of the pandemic in 2020. It's poised to reopen in April.
General manager Tracy Evans is hoping Canadians return to their course and too put up the support bumper stickers on their machinery.
"There's a bit of a struggle at the border, so we're not sure what's going to come out of it,” said Evans. "We’re hoping, we’re keeping our fingers crossed."
The majority of golf course users are Canadians from the Lower Mainland: approximately 90 per cent of the clientele.
"We rely on them completely."
Rick Hoole has been the superintendent of the course since 1999 and described the course as his baby.
“It’s a great course: it’s peaceful, easy to play, walkable, there’s no traffic and you won’t hear planes or traffic,” he said.
Staff, meanwhile, are getting the course in tip-top shape for April's opening; that includes getting creative in enticing Canadians to visit.
“We're not going to gouge anybody. We've put millions of dollars into this course, but we're going to not going to take it out on our guests,” said Evans, noting prices will be comparable to golf courses in Tsawwassen and Surrey.
"We have a great course here. It's all in nature. You're going to see deer and coyote and otters [and] eagles — everything,” she said, joking golfers are a different breed.
"Please come and support us. We would love to see you back."
