A new poll suggests a majority of Canadians still see the United States as their country's closest ally, even in an age of isolationism and protectionist policies.
The online survey by Leger for the Association for Canadian Studies found 69 per cent of respondents still see the U.S. as Canada's best friend, while 31 per cent said they disagreed or didn't know.
Canadians seem more divided, however, on whether the U.S. is a positive influence on international affairs: 41 per cent of respondents disagreed with that statement, compared with 38 per cent who said they believe it's true.
The survey comes as U.S. President Joe Biden prepares to deliver tonight's state of the union speech, his second since being sworn in as president in 2021.
Canadian business leaders say they'll be listening for a softer tone from Biden on the protectionist rhetoric that marked his first two years in the White House.
Biden will likely take a hard line on China, with many up in arms over what Chinese officials insist was a weather balloon that drifted through Canadian and U.S. airspace.