Elbows Up for Canada

About Us

We are concerned American and Canadian citizens.

We are your neighbors in Bellingham, WA, Detroit, MI, and Buffalo, NY.
We are appalled by the trust that President Trump has capriciously broken between the United States and Canada.

Photos of Bellingham, WA, Detroit, MI, and Niagara Falls, NY, near Buffalo, NY

We stand in opposition to the ginned-up tariffs and all talk of making Canada the 51st state.

We want to normalize saying "this is dangerous and foolish," so that people don't get used to Donald Trump's lies about Canada through his sheer rambling repetition of them.

Photos from April 2nd Elbows Up Rally in Buffalo, NY

For more, follow us on BlueSky at elbowsupforcanada.bsky.social

Partners

This day of action is happening because of the determination of many partner organizations and groups, including We the People Dissent, Peace Love and a Handshake, Power to the People - Upstate NY, Good Neighbors Getting It Done In Western New York, Indivisible Ottawa, Democrats Abroad Toronto.

Links

After the April 2nd Rally

Good Neighbors Getting It Done In Western New York - For Buffalonians and other Western New Yorkers who are ready to work together to defend democracy.
Organize for Action WNY - A non-profit, all volunteer organization. The Mission of Organize for Action WNY (OFAWNY) is to strengthen our democracy by creating a viable framework for positive, progressive change through civil engagement at the local, state, and national level. (Facebook)
WNY 3.5 - A community dedicated to organizing, resisting, and taking action. The name comes from the idea that it only takes 3.5% of the population actively engaged in nonviolent resistance to create real change—and we are here to make that happen in Western New York. (Facebook)
Power to the People - Upstate NY - Looks to unite Americans to stand for the values that help truly make America great. Our lives will not improve by threatening our country's allies, increasing the cost of living, or discriminating against our minorities.
50501 - 50 protests. 50 states. 1 movement. Join us in the fight to uphold the Constitution and end executive overreach.
Indivisible - We fight on, together. Our democracy is under threat. But we will not yield to fascism. We will stand together and we'll fight back in defense of our rights, our communities, and our values. Join us.
Mobilize - Events, Petitions, and Volunteer Opportunities
The Big List of Protests (aka The BLOP)
Reddit has a lot of separate forums, or "subreddits," where people can discuss most anything you're interested in, such as WNY Progressives for local progressive issues, Buffalo about all things Buffalo, 50501 New York dedicated to bringing Democracy back to the United States and New York State, and LOTS more.

Elbows Up

The elbows-up movement kicked off in March, 2025, when Canadian actor and comedian Mike Myers raised his elbow and mouthed "elbows up" during his performance on "Saturday Night Live" — using the hockey defensive move as a signal to his fellow Canadians to stay vigilant against Trump.

This phrase connects back to Gordie Howe, the legendary Detroit Red Wings player who hailed from Saskatchewan in western Canada. Howe, practically synonymous with the Red Wings, was renowned for his toughness among his many qualities. He was famous for deploying his elbows as protection whenever opposing players got too close.

Facts and Lies

President Trump has repeatedly said that he wants Canada to become the 51st state while he has imposed stiff tariffs on our close ally and next-door neighbor. We share the longest border in the world: 5,525 miles long.

Canada is its own sovereign nation, and has long been one of America's closest allies. Every day that these tariffs are in place, it will cost families, communities, and businesses on both sides of our long border. They will increase the cost of just about everything for all of us.

The President's lies about Canada include:

Fentanyl

The White House website says, "While President Trump gave both Canada and Mexico ample opportunity to curb the dangerous cartel activity and influx of lethal drugs flowing into our country, they have failed to adequately address the situation."

Here's the truth: Here's the truth: Less than 1% of fentanyl and illegal crossings into the United States come from Canada, and the Canadian government nevertheless launched a $1.3 billion border plan with new helicopters, boots on the ground, more coordination, a new fentanyl czar, and increased resources to stop the flow of fentanyl.

China and Russia

January 6, 2025: Then President-Elect Trump posted on social media that Canada is "constantly surrounded" by Chinese and Russian ships and if Canada became the 51st state, "they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese Ships that are constantly surrounding them."

Here's the truth: A few Russian and Chinese military and research vessels have been spotted in the waters off Alaska. CNN reports, "The Canadian government did warn in December that among the "potential threats" in its Arctic region were "increased Russian activity in Canadian air approaches" and "China's regular deployment of dual-use -- having both research and military application -- research vessels and surveillance platforms to collect data." But that's not the same as being "surrounded."

Trade deficit

January 7, 2025: Then President-Elect Trump claimed that the US trade deficit with Canada is $200 billion.

Here's the truth: In 2024, our trade deficit with Canada was actually $63.3 billion, and our trade relationships with Canada cross all industries. We are each one of the other's most important trading partners.

Annexing Canada

January 9, 2025: President Trump said, "They should be the 51st state, really; they would make a great state and the people of Canada like it."

Here's the truth: The Canadian public overwhelmingly opposes this idea. The Leger poll, earlier in March, showed 85% of Canadians are opposed. CTV reported, "The rejection appears clear across all regions, political parties and age groups."

Tariffs

March 6, 2025: President Trump posted, "I think that Justin Trudeau is using the Tariff problem, which he has largely caused, in order to run again for Prime Minister."

Here's the truth: Trudeau had already announced in January that he would step down once his successor in the Liberal Party was chosen; he had no intention of running again. Something Trump apparently cannot understand.

Dairy tariffs

March 7, 2025: President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that Canada hiked its dairy tariffs during the Biden administration, saying he had Canada dairy-tariff situation "well taken care of" when he left office.

Here's the truth: Canada did not raise dairy tariffs during the Biden administration; Trump was denouncing tariffs that were part of a free trade agreement he signed in 2018.

Still more tariffs

March 11, 2025: On TruthSocial, the President shared a long post that called Canada, "ONE OF THE HIGHEST TARIFFING NATIONS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD," and that "I will substantially increase, on April 2nd, the Tariffs on Cars coming into the U.S. which will, essentially, permanently shut down the automobile manufacturing business in Canada."

Here's the truth: Canada has relatively low tariffs, coming in at 102nd-highest on a World Bank list of 137 countries. The President chooses not to understand that almost no cars are made in North America in isolation; parts made in one nation are moved in order to assemble in another.

Directly addressing President Trump on March 4th, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the tariffs were a "very dumb thing to do," and suggested that Trump was trying to orchestrate "a total collapse of the Canadian economy because that will make it easier to annex us".

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum likewise said there was "no motive, no reason, no justification" for Trump's move.

Elbows Up!

for Canada, for America, for democracy