NEXT INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION: July 5, 2025
A series of peaceful, purposeful rallies, celebrations and protests to show Canada, the US government and the world, that we stand in solidarity with Canada.
July 5th events will run the length of the longest border in the world, with groups from Alaska to Washington state to Montana to Detroit to Niagara Falls to Vermont, and even London, England. Find an event near you, or start your own!
Let's show our friends and neighbors to the North that we love them just as they are, and that we want to repair the damage President Trump and his administration has caused to what had been a steadfast ally relationship.
NEXT INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION: July 5, 2025
On July 5th, from the Pacific to the Atlantic, from Alaska to Vermont to London, England, people will come together in a peaceful, purposeful celebration of shared friendship between the United States and Canada. We will ring the longest shared border in the world with celebrations of friendship and solidarity with Canada.
We'll demonstrate to our friends and neighbors to the North that we love them just as they are, regardless of the damage President Trump has caused to what has been our most steadfast ally.
These will be peaceful demonstrations of international friendship. We ask that everyone work to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who may disagree with our values.
We vehemently oppose President Trump's tariffs and threats to annex Canada as the 51st state.
We vehemently oppose using the situation at the border as a pretext for invocation of the Insurrection Act.
You can create a peaceful, purposeful, and joyful celebration of the United States' long-standing friendship with Canada along the border, at an embassy or consulate, in front of a Canadian Tire, wherever makes the best sense in your community.
Join an event or organize one of your own.
This day of action is happening because of the determination of many partner organizations and groups, including The Western New York Peace Center, 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 and Democrats Abroad Toronto.
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.
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:
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.
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."
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.
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."
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.
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.
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.
May 6, 2025: The American President claims that the United States is subsidizing Canada, and that the US doesn’t need anything Canada has to offer, "other than their friendship."
Here's the truth:In 2023, the US imported 1.24 million vehicles from Canada, and the auto industry is highly interconnected, particularly between Detroit, MI and Windsor, ON. In 2022, the US imported 60% of its heavy crude oil imported from Canada, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In 2021, the US imported $28 billion worth of lumber from Canada, representing nearly half of lumber imports.
Source: New York Times
Between spring 2023 and spring 2024, Canadians spent close to $6 billion on U.S. real estate, more than any other country, and comprising 13% of all foreign transactions. In snowbird markets, including Florida, Arizona, and Hawaii, not only are sales of homes to Canadians down, but the Canadians are selling the properties they had owned, according to The Wall Street Journal. Between the President's unpredictability and new hassles from Customs & Border Patrol agents, Canadians are "feeling stung." Reuters additionally reports, "many Canadians are boycotting U.S.-made goods, such as bourbon and produce and canceling trips to U.S. destinations."
CRE Daily reports, "As tensions rise, even traditionally apolitical assets like vacation homes are becoming flashpoints for broader anxieties about nationality, safety, and belonging."
The New York Times reported that as a result of the President's 25% tariffs on many Canadian cars and automobile parts, Honda announced on May 12th "that it would shift production of one of its popular vehicles from Ontario to a U.S. factory and postpone an $11 billion plan to make electric vehicles and batteries in Canada … The majority of the CR-Vs made in Canada are shipped to the United States."
The state of California has announced that in a bid to increase tourism, it will be offering Canadian visitors 25% off hotel stays at over 1,000 locations. Some perks have also been offered, including discounts to major attractions and dining credits. The Vancouver City News reports that California, a state that relies on tourism revenues, has seen a dramatic drop in visitors from Canada and the EU in recent months.
Hi-resolution downloadable posters you can print out for your actions on July 5, courtesy of friendsxborders.org.