The North Country Chamber of Commerce has unveiled a new campaign highlighting the long-standing bonds between Canada and the U.S.
Canadian visits to the North Country region are down 30 percent over last year since President Donald Trump imposed tariffs and called for the northern nation to become the 51st state.
The North Country Chamber of Commerce has since been working to reestablish relationships – from cultural to trade.
Officials on Monday introduced a “We Know Canadians As...” campaign. This first phase highlights nine ways Canada and the U.S. have supported each other for generations. North Country Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Garry Douglas emphasizes the initiative is not a marketing campaign.
“Welcome to the launch of a celebration of our region’s special friendship with Canada: ‘We Know Canadians As...’ a heartfelt bi-national message honoring the deep people-to-people bonds that long defined our relationship with our Canadian neighbors." Douglas adds, "This effort is not marketing. I can’t stress that enough. This is not a marketing campaign. It is a sincere expression of remembrance, gratitude and friendship in a moment when reaffirming our shared history matters more than it ever has in the past.”
Douglas introduced a new bilingual video highlighting ties between Canada and the U.S.
“For generations communities in northern New York and in Quebec and Ontario have moved through life together. We know Canadians not really as neighbors, but as remarkable friends," Douglas said. "An initial set of nine examples are at the heart of this messaging. Each example reminds viewers that our unique connection with Canadians is built upon shared sacrifice, shared compassion and shared humanity.”
The video, which has no narration and relies on solemn music for its soundtrack, includes examples of Canadians volunteering in the U.S Civil War and fighting together on the beaches of Normandy and the desert of Afghanistan; helping the CIA rescue American diplomats from Tehran in 1980 and sheltering travelers in Gander during 9/11.
“We needed it to be emotive and it was easy to be emotive because the relationship is so challenged and so special and they don’t believe anymore that we remember," Douglas said. "If you’re Canadians, we do remember. If you’re Americans, please remember.”
Chamber Vice President of Marketing Kristy Kennedy explained that the video will initially be distributed on social media.
“Social media obviously it’s the quickest way to get the message out and to reach the most people. So locally we’re going to use the messaging of how intertwined we are and why this relationship is so important." Kennedy added, "We also gave sneak peeks to the Consulate General as well as the Delegate General of Canada and Quebec and they are on board to help us get this message out as well.”
For Assemblyman Michael Cashman, a Democrat, the video is a powerful expression of the importance of the Canadian-U.S. relationship.
“It’s quite emotional and I think it’s very telling of the importance of the relationship between the United States and Canada. As a former town supervisor of a border community, I saw firsthand locally the impact. Everything from the loss of visitors at our golf courses to the impact on our hotels," Cashman said. "But it’s not just the economic impact. It’s the social fabric that binds us together. Our two nations have a friendship that have been bound for generations.”
SUNY Plattsburgh Center for the Study of Canada Director Christopher Kirkey interpreted the video as a heartfelt message reaching beyond the two nation’s trade relationship.
“Will it ultimately shake hearts and minds in a way that we hoped it will? I’m not sure," Kirkey said. "This is not aimed at a government-to-government level. So to the extent that average Canadians and Americans hear this, I think it’s useful. It really is.”
Again, Assemblyman Cashman:
“I think this is just a tremendous way to thank our northern friends for, not only their friendship, but how they’ve served alongside us in many respects.”
