Interesting that David Shribman would latch onto the the catchy quote of Lord Durham regarding French-English relationships in Lower Canada for his analogy, but ignore the real reason for the commissioning of Report on the Affairs of British North America - the 1837 rebellions in both Lower and Upper Canada. 

The rebellions were, of course, populist uprisings against elite rule. Upper Canada ruled by the Family Compact, Lower Canada ruled by the Chateau Clique. Essentially, farmers and small businessmen were trying, by force of arms, to 'drain the swamp'. 

And the erratic behaviour of Donald Trump really isn't all that far from the fiery temper of the man in a red wing who was well known for outrageous commentary via the media of the day,  William Lyon Mackenzie.

But perhaps the outcome of present  U.S. chaos and confusion will be the modern equivalent emergence of calm, reflective men like Robert Baldwin to bring true reform to a broken political system and unfair society.