Several Canadian members of a group have been contemplating the possibility of relocating their office or altering their approach, according to Waselnuk. The uncertainty surrounding future developments is evident, and Waselnuk emphasized that even Americans do not have clarity on the situation. Canadians, he noted, prefer to avoid these issues and maintain harmonious relations.
Alysaa Co, a principal at Bain Capital Ventures and also Canadian, concurred with Waselnuk’s sentiments. She highlighted that one of Bain’s portfolio companies, a fintech startup based in Toronto, has been catering to U.S.-based small businesses from the start. Co expressed hope that the startup would not need to reconsider its current strategy.
Among the group known as the Maple Syrup Gang, some members humorously critiqued American culture. An entrepreneur, demonstrating an AI tool aimed at assisting children in learning math, invited the audience to provide candid feedback, asking them to adopt a straightforward approach akin to “being from Texas” or “being Trump.”
The rise in Canadian pride and nationalism has been notable since former U.S. President Donald Trump began taking a hard stance on trade with Canada and made threatening remarks toward the northern neighbor. Data from the Angus Reid Institute, a nonprofit research organization in Canada, indicated a significant increase in the percentage of Canadians reporting that they are “very proud” of their country since February, following earlier tensions. As the national elections approach, both major political parties are stressing the importance of prioritizing “Canada First” and safeguarding national sovereignty. Mark Carney’s Liberal Party, which was struggling in the polls before Trump’s critical rhetoric towards Canada, has experienced a surge in popularity. Carney, a former banker, has positioned himself as the prime candidate to uphold Canada’s economic stability.
This emerging sense of Canadian national pride has influenced the tech sector as well. Some investors and startup founders view the friction between the U.S. and Canada as an opportunity to enhance Canada’s productivity and self-sufficiency. A collective of Canadian tech entrepreneurs, including leaders from Shopify and Cohere, launched a promotional initiative named Build Canada, aimed at shaping policy related to technology, tax reform, and immigration. According to the Canadian blog Betakit, these tech leaders have expressed frustration over the Liberal government’s handling of the nation’s productivity issues.
Boris Wertz, founder of the Vancouver-based Version One Ventures and a former board partner at Andreessen Horowitz, remarked in early February, noting that the U.S. tariffs could serve as a significant wake-up call for Canada. In his message, Wertz recommended that Canada diversify its international trading partnerships away from the U.S., deregulate inter-provincial trade, and strengthen energy infrastructure. He also mentioned border security and adopting a tough stance on crime as key agenda items.
Canada has played a pivotal role as a source of tech talent for Silicon Valley since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was established in 1994, which allowed for an unlimited number of visas for skilled professionals from Canada or Mexico to the U.S. This agreement was succeeded by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in 2020. Numerous Canadians working in the tech industry can easily identify founders of major tech companies and other influential figures originating from Canada, such as Garrett Camp, cofounder of Uber; Ivan Zhao, cofounder of Notion; Michelle Zatlyn, cofounder of Cloudflare; and Eric Migicovsky, creator of Pebble. Additionally, thousands of Canadian engineers contribute significantly behind the scenes in product development.
