TORONTO: Canadians are upset. At first it was the threat, and then the reality, of tariffs. Now, U.S. President Donald Trump’s talk of Canada’s forced annexation – no longer laughed off as a joke – has really angered a population better known for its politeness.
Canadians are rallying for their country and seeing a resurgence in nationalism, as Canada-U.S. relations top the list of issues preoccupying residents, according to recent polls.
“Elbows up,” a hockey term conveying readiness to fight, is the new rallying cry – emblazoned on clothing, headlining rallies and the title of a new podcast, opens new tab that dedicated its first episode to the practicalities of creating a civil defence corps.
It remains unclear how long Trump’s tariffs will be in place or what is behind his aspirations for Canada to become the 51st U.S. state. But 11 peeved Canadians Reuters spoke with said they believed irrevocable damage had been done.
Canadians are boycotting U.S. goods and cancelling U.S. travel plans. Provinces are taking American alcohol off store shelves. The sense of betrayal runs deep.
“It’s a mix of concern, frustration, anger. Our longstanding friend and ally has turned against us and we don’t really know what to do,” said Peter Wall, an Elbows Up rally organizer.
Wall and a handful of other organizers put together a rally on Parliament Hill in Canada’s capital Ottawa in a matter of days. The event, which featured speakers, a band and a coat check for hockey sticks to facilitate a game afterward, attracted more than 1,000 people on March 9.–Reuters
