Should Trump Be Banned From Canada?

Donald Trump spent the first six weeks of his presidency targeting Canada’s sovereignty and economy. His latest move—a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods—could devastate industries on both sides of the border. 

When the G7 Summit takes place in Alberta this June, Trump is expected to attend, marking his first visit to Canada since returning to power. That is a step too far for one Albertan. Last month, Gerard Aldridge, a 67-year-old retiree from Fairview, Alberta, launched a parliamentary petition to bar Trump from entering Canada. The petition has amassed more than 57,000 signatures so far. 

Sponsored by NDP MP Charlie Angus, the petition argues that Trump’s criminal record and repeated threats to Canada could make him inadmissible. We spoke with Aldridge about the impacts of Trump’s attacks on Canada and what he hopes his petition will accomplish.

A lot of people have voiced concerns about Trump since his return to the presidency. What motivated you to take the step of launching a petition to keep him out of Canada? Was there a particular moment when you thought, “Okay, I need to do something about this”?

I’ve always been engaged in politics—I served a term as a Liberal member of Saskatchewan’s Legislative Assembly in the 1990s—but after leaving office, I stepped away from public life. I remained interested in political issues, but I didn’t need to be publicly active.

That changed with the start of Trump’s second term as president. I became alarmed, especially when he directly threatened Canada—both economically, with tariffs, and politically, by undermining our sovereignty. Some people treat his “51st state” comments as a joke, but when you pair that with his latest round of economic blackmail, it’s a deliberate and seditious attack. At some point, you start to feel helpless—like, what can regular Canadians do? That’s when I started thinking: maybe a petition could be a way for everyday people to push back. 

Let’s talk about the process. How does a petition even work? Did you have to jump through hoops to get it approved?

When I first thought about it, I assumed it would have to be a traditional paper petition, which felt impractical—especially since I’m a retired senior on a budget. Collecting signatures manually and organizing distribution seemed overwhelming.

Then, while researching Ourcommons.ca, Parliament’s website, I discovered there was an e-petition system, which was introduced in 2015. That was something I could do. The process was straightforward: I had to draft the petition, get five verified Canadian supporters and find a Member of Parliament to sponsor it.

I chose NDP MP Charlie Angus because he’s been vocal against Trump, and I felt he would support the cause. I never directly communicated with him—I simply submitted his name as the sponsor, and his office was notified through the petition process.

Once he agreed, the petition was translated into French and then published online to receive signatures. To be presented in Parliament, a petition needs at least 500 verified signatures—we’ve now surpassed 57,000. It will be introduced when Parliament resumes on March 24, forcing the government to respond within 45 days, well ahead of the June G7 Summit in Alberta.

What’s your ultimate goal here? Is this just about making a point, or do you hope the government will act on this?

Once the petition is presented, I want the government to take it seriously, not just acknowledge it and move on. The support of tens of thousands of Canadians should galvanize them to take a stronger stance against Trump, not just in terms of barring him but by challenging his aggression towards Canada. The petition isn’t about saying he should never enter Canada under any circumstances. If he changed his behaviour, stopped making threats and showed respect for international norms, that would be a different conversation. 

Some people might argue this is just symbolic—that there’s no way Canada would ever bar a U.S. president. What do you say to that?

It’s not a symbolic gesture. Trump is a foreign national like anyone else, and he should be subject to the same rules. Our immigration laws outline clear grounds for inadmissibility, and a criminal conviction is one of the most straightforward reasons that could potentially deny entry. Trump is a convicted felon, and his ongoing behaviour—his attempts at intimidation, his destabilizing rhetoric—only reinforce why he shouldn’t be welcome here. Canada has these laws for a reason. Why should he be an exception? 

To your point, Canada has denied entry to prominent people before—far-right figures, people with criminal records—but banning a president is on a whole other level. 

Barring a U.S. president from Canada would absolutely be a precedent—but so is a U.S. president who has a criminal record. 

Some Canadians—especially in Alberta—lean pro-Trump. Have you gotten any backlash from people in your own backyard?

Backlash is something I expected, but it’s just part of the process. Many of the negative comments dismiss the petition as pointless, childish, petty, or a stupid idea that will have no impact, while others warn that it could provoke Trump and lead to harsher tariffs. 

So far, though, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Signatures have come from every province and territory, which is incredible. What surprised me is that Alberta is proportionally over-represented compared to other provinces. That tells me there may be a quiet majority of Albertans who are also fed up with Trump and looking for relief from his influence.

As for my friends and family, the support has been solid. My wife was one of the first five signatories, and I’ve received texts from friends who saw the petition spreading organically on social media. The grassroots nature of this effort has been really encouraging. It’s not being driven by politicians or public figures, just regular Canadians standing up for something they believe in.

If you could get one message to Trump himself about this petition, what would it be?

Mr. Trump, surely you can find someone in your administration—someone without a criminal record—to attend the G7 Summit in Alberta in your place. Surely there is someone who hasn’t been involved in as many scandals, someone who hasn’t made your reckless statements. Someone who understands diplomatic protocols, who wouldn’t turn an international summit into another embarrassing spectacle. Perhaps someone who wouldn’t demand that we let Russia rejoin the G7. Or take the opportunity to do something as outrageous as claiming us as the 51st state. 

You’ve shown time and again that you have no regard for allies, for diplomacy, or for the sovereignty of other nations. And that’s exactly why Canadians don’t want you here.

Let’s say this goes nowhere and Trump waltzes into Canada anyway—what then? And beyond Trump, what do you see as the future of U.S.-Canada relations?

If this petition fails and Trump comes to Canada anyway, the fight doesn’t stop there. This is a much bigger issue than just one visit—it’s about recognizing the real danger he presents, both to Canada and to global stability. We have to stay vigilant. Canada must take a strong, united stance in the face of Trump’s hostility. Yes, the U.S. is the bigger economic power, but they depend on us as a vital trading partner, and we should never let them dictate terms as if we are anything less than a sovereign nation.

More and more Canadians are realizing that. People are rallying around Canadian identity, supporting Canadian businesses, standing up for our values. I see this as a non-partisan issue—this is about Canada, not political affiliations. We are never going to be America’s 51st state, and we need to show that clearly—not just to Trump, but to any future U.S. leader who might try to push us around. Hopefully, one day we will again have an American administration we can trust as a reliable partner. But until then, Canada must stand firm and make it clear that we will not be bullied.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.