Last week was rough for Democrats — not because of any electoral setback, but because of the symbolism.

In quick succession, an Ivy League university and a prestigious law firm folded like lawn chairs under pressure from Donald Trump. There was no grand defense of institutional integrity. No push back. Just swift, unceremonious retreat.

But if you want to know what it looks like to fight back, cast your gaze north of the border.

Just two months ago, Canada’s Liberal government appeared on the verge of collapse. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, often dubbed a Canadian version of Trump (a comparison he’s been desperate to shake), looked poised to cruise to power.

Not anymore.

According to the latest projections from 338Canada, the political winds have shifted sharply. The Liberals now have a 55% chance of winning a majority and a 44% chance of forming a minority government.

The odds of a Conservative majority? Almost nonexistent.

What changed?

For one, Justin Trudeau stepped aside. After nearly a decade in power, Trudeau had become a magnet for the kind of anti-incumbent sentiment sweeping across much of the industrialized world. (As Paul Krugman recently pointed out, Canada’s inflation was largely identical to that of the U.S. — but Trudeau bore the political cost.)

Enter Mark Carney.

The former Bank of Canada governor — and now new prime minister — took a bold gamble: He made resisting Trump central to his campaign. Framing the upcoming Canadian election not just as a national choice but as a bulwark against Trump’s calls to annex his country, Carney flipped the script.

And if the polls are to be believed, it’s working.

The contrast with recent events in the U.S. couldn’t be more stark. While powerful institutions here appear unwilling — or unable — to stand up to Trump, Canada’s new leader is gaining ground by doing exactly that.

It’s a reminder that, sometimes, the way to beat a bully is to stand your ground. And voters might just reward you for it.