The United States presidential election has finally come to an end.

After what felt like a never-ending battle between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, the election finally concluded on Nov. 8, 2016. It’s been about two weeks since the election occurred and the shocking results still have yet to sink in.

Following the debates, many expected Clinton to win. Not only did Trump’s win come as a shock, it was also troubling to many.

How could a man who has been so publicly racist and misogynistic possibly run an entire country? It’s 2016. The days of shaming people based on their skin color, religion or sexuality are long gone. The day following the election was a very strange one, as the distressing aftermath of the election was felt around the world.

Taking a closer look

After taking a closer look at the election results, it appears they aren’t as black and white as they may seem. The exit polls show the vast majority of Americans that voted for Trump were Caucasian, male and over the age of 45.

“It is still comforting to see evidence of how Americans actually voted.”

For the majority of women, people under the age of 45 and other races, Clinton was the favoured candidate. This may not come as much of a surprise to most people, considering Trump’s behaviour toward women and those of another cultural background.

Although it may not come as a surprise, it is still comforting to see evidence of how Americans actually voted.

How this affects us

Now more than ever, I think many of us feel a little more grateful to be Canadian.

That being said, Trump’s win will still have an impact on us as Canadians. During the debates, he made comments regarding a renegotiation of both climate and trade policies.

If Trump actually follows through with the statements he made during the debates, it will have an impact on both our economy and our environment.

These are only a couple of examples of things that Trump has proposed that will have an impact on us as Canadians.

Fighting back

Those fearful of the changes Trump has proposed are taking precautionary measures in order to fight back.

Celebrities such as Amy Schumer and Amber Rose are encouraging their fans to donate to Planned Parenthood in Vice-President Elect Mike Pence’s name.

Many people are also donating to other organizations, such as Sierra Club and the American Civil Liberties Union in both Trump and Pence’s name.

This means their mailboxes will soon be flooded with letters of gratitude from these organizations they have been so openly against.

Love Trumps hate

Moving forward, I think it’s imperative that we stay united.

“Anger and hatred will not solve anything.”

Anger and hatred will not solve anything.

The most important thing is that we support one another regardless of gender, sexual preference or race.

As a Canadian, I will gladly accept and welcome any newcomers that arrive in our country due to the election results.