Fear and hope greet Trump's presidential victory among diaspora groups in Manitoba

As Kateryna Starikova watched Donald Trump’s election victory, she became increasingly concerned about Ukraine's independence and the safety of her family still in Ukraine.

"With Biden, we had weapons, we had support … America tried to help us, but now we're not sure," she shared, expressing her worry over how Trump's policies might impact the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Trump has openly criticized the extensive military and financial aid the U.S. has provided Ukraine, even claiming he could end the war within 24 hours, though he did not elaborate on how he would achieve that.

For Ukrainians like Starikova, this lack of clarity is unsettling. She fears that the U.S. may issue an ultimatum, pushing Ukraine to sign a peace agreement that could involve ceding some of its territories to Russia, a prospect she finds deeply troubling. "We [would] lose our country, unfortunately," she said.

Ostap Skrypnyk, an advisor with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress in Manitoba, echoed these concerns, noting the uncertainty surrounding Trump’s approach to the war. "There are so many unknowns … there's apprehension, a bit of anxiety and in some quarters there's active concern because at some point you have to take the man for what he says," Skrypnyk commented. "It's always a wait and see."

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress is monitoring the situation closely, while also considering how changes in U.S. immigration policy under Trump's administration could affect the Ukrainian community in Manitoba. Skrypnyk pointed out that many Ukrainians who previously moved to the U.S. could be forced to return to Canada if U.S. immigration policies change. "If people start returning, what kind of services are we going to have to provide for them?" he asked.

Diwa Marcelino, an organizer with Migrante Manitoba, expressed concerns over the potential rise in anti-immigrant rhetoric and its impact on Canadian politics. He recalled that during Trump’s previous presidency, some asylum seekers in the U.S. reached out to Migrante Manitoba for assistance. "The racist rhetoric is coming from the president's mouth, it emboldens more people to also be racist, which will increase not just racist attacks but racist policies that will hurt people of colour," he said. Marcelino noted that hate crimes in Canada spiked after Trump’s first election, a trend he fears could worsen if Trump’s rhetoric continues.

Meanwhile, Ramsey Zeid, president of the Canadian Palestinian Association of Manitoba, expressed hope that Trump could fulfill his campaign promise to end the war in Gaza. "We'll see what happens once he takes office, but we know what Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have done already, and he can't be any worse," Zeid remarked. He also highlighted growing dissatisfaction within the Muslim community with the Democratic Party's strong support of Israel. "They fully supported Israel and fully funded Israel … we don't think that would have changed if she had won the election," he said.

Zeid criticized U.S. military aid to Israel, which has surpassed $18 billion since the start of the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as tensions with Iran. Trump reportedly told Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to "do what you have to do" to defend Israel, but Zeid suggested that halting U.S. funding to Israel could help achieve Trump's stated goal of making America "great again" and prioritizing American interests. "We have to be hopeful, because the way it's been has been terrible," Zeid added.

While organizations like the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs declined to comment, the concerns raised by community leaders highlight the broader anxieties many have about the direction Trump’s policies may take on global conflicts and domestic issues.