This letter is to urge the leaders of Canada to respond with courage and decency in the face of the profoundly disturbing events unfolding to our south. Since the inauguration of Donald Trump, our closest ally and neighbour has embarked on a dangerous path that we, as Canadians, cannot ignore.

To name a few examples, the President of the United States of America has, during his first days in office:

Appointed the former owner of a white supremacist website to the newly created position of Senior Counselor to the President.

Lied directly to the public while simultaneously engaging in a campaign to discredit the very institution of news media.

Denied the existence of, and threat posed by, climate change, which has been proven beyond all scientific doubt.

Instituted a racist immigration ban targeting Muslims, and turned away refugees during the largest migrant crisis in modern history.

This is not simply a case of differing values, interests, or priorities, such as often arise between countries. This is not just politics as usual. The lessons of history warn us clearly that the direction being set by President Donald Trump – by scapegoating and discriminating against an ethnic group, undermining the ability of an independent media to hold his administration accountable, and stacking his cabinet with ideological extremists – leads to the rise of authoritarianism and tragedy.

As closely tied as we are to the United States, it will be difficult for Canada to publicly call out these unsettling signs. However, we cannot allow fear of economic repercussions or diplomatic fallout to cow us into silence while we witness dangerous and disturbing developments that victimize the innocent, threaten the planet, and erode the fabric of our modern, democratic civilization.

The government of Canada must declare its condemnation of, and its refusal to be complicit in, this unacceptable behaviour; we must defend those victimized by the policies of President Trump, and we must curtail our political and economic cooperation with the United States until its President abandons this reckless and outrageous path.