Elbows Up for Canada

July 5, 2025 Events

Check back for more - Email us to add yours

Elbows Up Maine!: 1PM ET, 188 Main Street, Madawaska, ME
[Elbows Up!]: 1-2PM ET, Main Street Bridge, Dover-Foxcroft, ME
Canada Pro-fest: 12-1PM ET, meet at corner of Footbridge Rd and Route 1, Belfast, ME
Coos NH Indivisible, North Country Resilience and Central NH Indivisible: 10AM-12PM ET, Pittsburg, NH Border Crossing; visit link for carpool options, because parking is limited
Indivisible Middlebury: 4-6 PM ET at Duty Free Americas, I-89 Exit 22, Highgate, VT 05460
Elbows Up Lake Champlain: 9-10 AM ET at Family Folk Coffee House on the Deck, Lake Champlain, NY
Elbows Up Loudonville: 4-5 PM ET at L& M's backyard, Loudonville, NY
MaloneShowUp Elbows Up: 11AM-2PM ET, Chateaugay Rec Park, 7247 Rte 374, Chateaugay, NY
North Country Indivisible: 1-3PM ET at Ogdensburg City Hall in Ogdensburg, NY, and Prescott, ON
Prescott, ON: 2 PM ET, Fort Wellington, Prescott Heritage Trail
Lake Effect Progress NNY: 11-1PM ET at the intersection of Routes 191 & 100, Wellesley Island, NY
Genesee Valley Indivisible: 11AM-12PM ET at Monument Park, State St (Rte 5) & Main St (Rte 36), Caledonia, NY 14423
Elbows Up for Canada - Niagara Falls, NY: 8PM til after sunset at Terrapin Point, Goat Island, Niagara Falls, NY, organized by Good Neighbors Getting It Done, and Power to the People - Upstate NY
Elbows Up for Canada - Buffalo, NY: 11AM-1PM at Freedom Park, 1170 Niagara St, Buffalo, NY, organized by Good Neighbors Getting It Done, and Power to the People - Upstate NY
Elbows Up United!: 1:30-3 PM under the great Canadian flag at the foot of Ouellette Avenue, Windsor, Ontario
We the People Dissent: 1-3:30PM ET at 1 Hart Plaza, Detroit, MI
Arrowhead Indivisible: 1-3PM CT, Grand Marais, MN
Red River United Indivisible: Noon-2 PM CT, Pembina Port of Entry, Pembina, ND
Indivisible Butte: 12-1PM MT at Mike Mansfield Federal Courthouse, 400 N Main St., Butte, MT 59701
Butte Pride: 4-7PM MT at Original Mine Yard ("Butte Pride 2025: Pride is in Bloom."). Butte Pride event will only have a few minutes devoted to Elbows Up.
Peace, Love and a Handshake: 12-2PM PT at Peace Arch State Park, Blaine, WA
Elbows Up Clallam County, WA: 11:30 AM PT at Port Angeles Ferry Terminal, 101 E. Railroad Avenue, Port Angeles, WA 98362
Skagway & the Yukon: Neighbors & Friends: 3:30PM AKDT at Mile 14 Klondike Highway, Skagway, AK
Bus leaves Centennial Park at 1st & Broadway for a peaceful gathering at the Klondike Highway summit. Room for 28 passengers. Please message me to reserve & guarantee your spot. All other spots will be FCFS. We may be able to arrange a second bus if needed, so please let me know you want a ride!

About Us

We are concerned American and Canadian citizens.

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.

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

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.

Partners

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.

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.

Subsidizing Canada

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

Impacts of the President's Actions

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.

Resources + Links

Event Logos

Download PNG and SVG logos
Canadian Flag image files and color definitions

Press Release

One sheet about the event
Download

Event Flyer

Download Buffalo & Niagara Falls PDF
Download blank PNG - add details for your event

Event posters

Hi-resolution downloadable posters you can print out for your actions on July 5, courtesy of friendsxborders.org.

Protest Resources

ACLU Protester's Rights - The First Amendment protects your right to assemble and express your views through protest. However, police and other government officials are allowed to place certain narrow restrictions on the exercise of speech rights. Make sure you're prepared by brushing up on your rights before heading out into the streets.
Guides to Protesting - resources compiled by American Friends Service Committee and partners to support your activism, including How to Stay Safer at a Protest, Digital Security Guidelines for Protests and What to do if someone is being harassed at a protest

Links

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.
50501 - 50 protests. 50 states. 1 movement. Join us in the fight to uphold the Constitution and end executive overreach.
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.