Things have been rough for Canada. It’s engulfed in political turmoil, as Justin Trudeau steps down from leadership and the country braces for a contentious election. Incoming US President Donald Trump has decided to pick on the country, threatening ruinous (to both sides) tariffs and either claiming Canada is the 51st state or that he will make it so.

The best that US liberals can do, however, is make jokes about wanting to be part of Canada.

As a Canadophile living just south of the border, this has always been a frustration for me; many Americans see Canada as only an extension of their politics. It’s either everything to be feared–think Ron Swanson bristling at the idea of universal healthcare–or somewhere to retreat from our problems, as seen by liberal desires to emigrate when Republicans are in charge.

But, I feel ridiculous having to say this, Canada is an independent, sovereign country. Beyond that, it has played a massively important role in international affairs. It’s worth reminding ourselves that.

Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux!

What is so great about Canada’s foreign policy, you may ask? Canada’s foreign policy epitomizes lines from the French version of the national anthem, that its arm “knows how to carry the sword” and “carry the cross,” of “brilliant deeds and valour steeped in faith.” Taking away the explicitly Christian elements of these lines, they suggest a fusion of military strength and humanitarian ideals.

Canada played an important part in 20th century military engagements. It joined the Allies in World War II before the United States did, taking part in the rescue at Dunkirk and the D-Day invasion. As a NATO member, Canadian troops also took part in combat in Korea and Afghanistan.

Canada’s foreign policy is a fusion of military strength and humanitarian ideals.

Canada was one of the earliest contributors to UN peacekeeping efforts. Canada contributed troops to many of the UN’s early peacekeeping missions, enhancing their effectiveness and legitimacy. Lester Pearson, then Canadian foreign minister, helped pioneer the use of peacekeepers during the Suez Crisis, for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Canada has also attempted to serve as an international mediator, with Canadian foreign policy officials seeing themselves as “helpful fixers.” Examples include the Suez Crisis, Canada’s role in negotiating over Palestinian refugees during the Oslo Process, and Pearson’s opposition to the Vietnam war for lacking the UN’s approval.

Canada’s important international role continued after the Cold War. Canada helped organize the campaign to ban landmines, resulting in the 1997 treaty. Canada sponsored the International Commission on State Sovereignty, which helped to introduce the norm/ideal of Responsibility to Protect (R2P).

Some observers argue Canada needs a major foreign policy reset

Of course, foreign policy hawks may not celebrate these achievements. There are ways Canada’s foreign policy overlaps with hawkish approaches to US foreign policy, however, such as taking the pressure off the United States for conflict resolution. Likewise, Canada’s support for liberal ideals and multilateral processes should please both US liberal internationalists and the restraint crowd. Canada’s foreign policy may not line up with any US foreign policy school exactly, but that’s my point; Canada is its own country, not an extension of US debates.

The true north strong and free

It is true Canada is struggling. Trudeau’s declining popularity may hurt his party and any of the causes they have championed, such as support for refugees. Canada has suffered some international embarrassments, such as its failure to gain a seat on the UN Security Council. We may see a return to the foreign policy of Stephen Harper–Trudeau’s conservative predecessor–who criticized earlier Canadian mediation efforts as seeking “to please every dictator with a vote at the United Nations.” And some observers argue Canada needs a major foreign policy reset.

In keeping with the theme of this post, I’m not going to tell Canada what it should do. I just want the US foreign policy community to remember Canada’s independent importance, and I want Canada to remember that many of us down here are rooting for you.