5 key U.S. election turning points Canadians should watch for

Americans are facing a decision about the future of their country and no matter which president they choose, Canada cannot escape the pull of political polarization.

Americans are facing a decision about the future of their country and no matter which president they choose, Canada cannot escape the pull of political polarization from its closest neighbour.

Vice-President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump present starkly different paths forward for the United States and the race for the White House appears to be extremely close.

The U.S. is Canada’s largest trading partner and its next president will be in charge during the review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico agreement in 2026.

Harris has campaigned on the fact that she voted against the trilateral agreement, saying it didn’t do enough to protect American workers or the environment. The vice-president is largely expected to maintain President Joe Biden’s Buy American procurement rules.

The centrepiece of Trump’s agenda is a proposed 10 per cent across-the-board tariff.

More than 77 per cent of Canadian exports go to the U.S. and 60 per cent of Canada’s gross domestic product is derived from trade.

The campaign has been unprecedented and tumultuous. Biden removed himself from the Democrats’ ticket after a disastrous presidential debate and Harris became the presidential candidate a little more than three months before election day.

There were also two assassination attempts on Trump. The image of blood streaming down his face, with a fist in the air, became a rallying call for the Republican leader’s most ardent supporters.