U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance has ignited a firestorm by directly blaming Canada's Liberal Party for the country's economic stagnation and controversial immigration policies in a series of viral social media posts.
Viral Criticism from South of the Border
On Friday, November 21, 2025, Vance shared a post on X from Michael A. Arouet that featured a graph from Ice Cap Asset Management. The graph depicted a stark decline in Canada's living standards compared to the United Kingdom and the United States. Arouet's original caption, which has been viewed more than 1.4 million times, stated that Canada's situation would be studied as a prime example of national self-destruction from following left ideology.
Vance amplified this message to his own substantial audience, adding his own sharp commentary. "While I’m sure the causes are complicated, no nation has leaned more into 'diversity is our strength, we don’t need a melting pot, we have a salad bowl' immigration insanity than Canada," Vance wrote. His post, viewed 1.8 million times, pointed out that Canada has the highest foreign-born share of the population in the entire G7 and that its living standards have stagnated as a result.
Economic Data and Political Echoes
The data cited by Vance finds support in recent studies. A report released by the Fraser Institute in September 2025 painted a bleak picture of a diminishing quality of life. Study co-author Lawrence Schembri told the Toronto Sun that Canada experienced a highly unusual combination of overall economic growth alongside a 2% decline in GDP-per-person from 2020 to 2024.
"It’s really almost unique within the OECD membership," Schembri said, labeling the trend as "ugly." He attributed the decline to weak investment growth and a large influx of migration. This concern was echoed by Tiff Macklem, the head of the Bank of Canada, who recently warned that Canadians face a lower standard of living unless changes are made.
The political reaction was swift. Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre shared the same graph earlier in the week, blaming the policies of Prime Minister Mark Carney. "Mark Carney is importing to Canada the same financial disaster that he caused in the U.K.," Poilievre wrote on social media.
Public Sentiment and Systemic Strains
Vance's critique resonated with a segment of the Canadian public already concerned about immigration levels. A national Leger poll conducted in the summer of 2025 found that 62% of Canadians believe the country is admitting too many immigrants. The poll also revealed skepticism, with only 42% of respondents saying they think immigrants can be trusted.
The strain on the system was further highlighted this week when Mark Weber, president of the Customs and Immigration Union, testified before Parliament. He revealed that due to being short-staffed, it is now standard practice to conduct security screenings for some refugees on an honour system via a mobile app, a admission that raised significant security concerns.
In a follow-up post, Vance shifted focus from policy to accountability, telling Canadians, "your stagnating living standards have nothing to do with Donald Trump or whatever bogeyman the CBC tells you to blame. The fault lies with your leadership, elected by you." His comments come amid ongoing trade tensions between Prime Minister Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been openly critical of Canada's economic standing.
