The Washington Post’s Amanda Coletta spoke to Chief Strategy Officer Marci Surkes this week about the ways Trump’s presidency is already influencing Canadian politics.

Donald Trump's influence is affecting Canadian politics, especially in the context of the race to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who plans to step down after a successor is chosen in March. Trump's tariff threats have been a key concern, with several high-profile Liberal cabinet ministers choosing not to run for leadership in order to focus on managing Canada's response to Trump. The leadership race has centered around who is best equipped to handle the economic challenges posed by a potential trade war, with front-runners Mark Carney and Chrystia Freeland positioning themselves as the most qualified candidates. This issue is expected to play a significant role in the upcoming federal election, which must be held by October.

“The Trump presidency is impacting every facet of our lives as Canadians,” said Marci Surkes, Trudeau’s former executive director of cabinet and policy affairs, adding, “It is it is no longer an election about anything else but the relationship with the United States.”