Canada and the United States share the world91裸聊视频檚 longest border at nearly 9,000 kilometres.

The countries have interlinked economies and plenty in common culturally. The Peace Arch, straddling British Columbia and Washington state, is meant to symbolizes that friendship. The Peace Bridge, meanwhile, links Ontario and New York state.

The last few weeks haven91裸聊视频檛 felt all that peaceful.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced crippling tariffs 91裸聊视频� a 30-day reprieve was negotiated Feb. 3 91裸聊视频� and continues to muse about making America91裸聊视频檚 northern neighbour its 51st state.

Despite the pause on a blanket tariff on Canadian goods, Trump said on Sunday that he will formally announce 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports into the U.S. on Monday, including those coming from Canada.

There have been, of course, plenty of disagreements and flashpoints in the past. Away from the political arena, that rivalry has perhaps been the fiercest when the countries91裸聊视频� athletes compete 91裸聊视频� especially on the ice.

The 4 Nations Face-Off, a tournament involving NHL players and featuring the North American rivals, starts Wednesday in Montreal.

So what will the current unease and tit-for-tat threats mean for a matchup that already has plenty of fuel?

91裸聊视频淐anadians are nationalistic and proud,91裸聊视频� said Daniel Rubenson, a political science professor at Toronto Metropolitan University. 91裸聊视频淭hey don91裸聊视频檛 want to be told they91裸聊视频檙e going to be subsumed by another country. The chances are pretty slim, but that rhetoric puts things on edge.91裸聊视频�

Canadian crowds booed the American anthem at both NHL and NBA games in response to Trump91裸聊视频檚 tariff threats.

That trend slowed after both sides 91裸聊视频� Canada indicated it would respond with retaliatory tariffs if the U.S. followed through 91裸聊视频� took a step back from the ledge. Fans in Halifax didn91裸聊视频檛 jeer the anthem ahead of the countries91裸聊视频� recent women91裸聊视频檚 Rivalry Series hockey games.

The crowd in Montreal for a pair of Canadiens91裸聊视频� contests over the weekend were largely respectful of the anthem.

But the city, where the Canadians and Americans square off Saturday in 4 Nations action, has a history of booing The Star-Spangled Banner, including in 2003 after the U.S. invaded Iraq.

91裸聊视频淭he political landscape is so unstable in the United States,91裸聊视频� said Amy Bass, a professor of sports studies at Manhattanville University in Purchase, N.Y. 91裸聊视频淗aving a definitive idea of what this game is going to mean and how it91裸聊视频檚 going to go down 91裸聊视频� we don91裸聊视频檛 know.91裸聊视频�

Aaron Ettinger, an associate political science professor at Carleton University in Ottawa, said nationalism is always the subtext of international sports.

91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 what makes it fun,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 our country and our people against your country and your people.91裸聊视频�

Ettinger, whose published work includes the intersection of sports and politics, added pride can play a big factor.

91裸聊视频淐anadians like beating Americans at sports because we91裸聊视频檙e not really going to beat them at much else,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭his time around, there91裸聊视频檚 some real stakes because the United States and its president are (threatening) something harmful to Canadian national interests.91裸聊视频�

Canada91裸聊视频檚 main hockey rival was once the Soviet Union. Russia picked up the banner, but the U.S. has nudged its way to the top of the list over the last 30 years.

Canada hasn91裸聊视频檛 been unseated in the men91裸聊视频檚 game 91裸聊视频� at least not yet. The women have gone back and forth, while the Americans own three of the last the world junior hockey championships.

91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 one place, maybe the only place, where Canada has been the big brother,91裸聊视频� Rubenson said of the rink. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 been easy for Canadians to be generous toward Americans there.91裸聊视频�

The rivalry has been tough yet friendly, he added, but the change in tone from the White House might signal a change in that relationship.

91裸聊视频淧olitical and social issues can spill over,91裸聊视频� Rubenson said.

Fans and politicians could get riled, but will the players actually care?

Many Canadians suit up for American-based teams. U.S. captain Auston Matthews, meanwhile, wears the 91裸聊视频楥91裸聊视频� for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

91裸聊视频淚 don91裸聊视频檛 know if they live in the real world,91裸聊视频� Ettinger said of NHL stars. 91裸聊视频淭hey generally live in the elite republic of hockey without much sense of what91裸聊视频檚 going on in the real world.91裸聊视频�

Rubenson, whose specialization includes sports and politics, doesn91裸聊视频檛 expect much change in terms of the on-ice clash.

91裸聊视频淭hat rivalry is already super intense,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淗ardcore fans don91裸聊视频檛 need excuses. The media is going to drum this up and the fans are going to get riled up.

91裸聊视频淢ight make for great atmosphere 91裸聊视频� nothing wrong with that.91裸聊视频�

While not a direct comparable or on the same scale, Bass said a Canadian victory at the 4 Nations could have a feel north of the border similar to the Americans91裸聊视频� triumph over the Soviets 91裸聊视频� the 91裸聊视频淢iracle on Ice91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� at the 1980 Olympics.

91裸聊视频淚t was a Cold War victory,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淗as the United States become the 91裸聊视频榖ig bad91裸聊视频�? Taking down the United States is going to feel good for a whole new reason.91裸聊视频�

Ettinger said that, in the end, the current cooling of relations is not so much Canada versus U.S. as Canada versus Trump.

91裸聊视频淎mericans, generally, have very favourable views of Canada,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭he economic relationship is extraordinarily beneficial to both. It just happens to be that the guy manning the White House has really antagonistic orientations towards most foreign countries.

91裸聊视频淓specially Canada.91裸聊视频�