Donald Trump's announcement of a 25 percent tariff on Canadian imports into the U.S. over the weekend has sparked a feeling that Canadian newspaper The Star has called "decidedly un-Canadian:" Patriotism.
National pride was on display at the Vancouver Canucks hockey game on Sunday when fans booed the "The Star-Spangled Banner," while cheering for "O Canada," continuing an emerging trend at sporting events and more generally in Canada.
Why It Matters
The tariffs imposed on Canada will exacerbate an existing cost of living crisis, as the price of goods coming in from the U.S. will rise. Canada is also going through a period of political transition right now, as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said he will resign from his position after his party finds a new leader.
Economic instability often leads to political instability too, but having a common enemy in the United States has led to a rise in pro-Canada sentiment.
Trudeau is due to speak with Trump today after Canada announced retaliatory tariffs against U.S. agricultural and consumer products, industrial materials and machinery industries.
What To Know
Toronto Raptors fans vented their ire on the U.S. national anthem at an NBA game on Sunday, and there were similar reactions on Saturday night at NHL games in Ottawa and Calgary.
A "Canada Is Not For Sale" hat has gone viral across the country and Canadian leaders are encouraging consumers to buy home-grown goods, all in protest at Trump's tariff imposition.
The trade war has also extended into alcohol sales, as in Canada alcohol is imported by provincial governments and then sold on via liquor stores within each province. Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario said he will be pulling American-made alcohol from shelves in his province, which borders Ohio.
David Eby, the premier of British Columbia, told liquor stores to remove brands manufactured in American "red" states, though he did not clarify which states these were.
Ford started a fashion trend in mid-January, wearing a hat in the style of a MAGA cap that read "Canada is Not For Sale" after Fox News Host Jesse Watters said if he were Canadian he would want to become American. The makers of the hat sold 45,000 after Ford wore it to a meeting of regional leaders on January 15.
Trump has said he launched the tariffs, which have also been imposed on Mexico, to combat drug trafficking, illegal migration and what he sees as an imbalance in trade. He said that Americans might experience "pain" from the tariffs, but, in his words, "it will all be worth it."
What People Are Saying
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: "We don't want to be here. We didn't ask for this, but we will not back down."
Premier of Ontario Doug Ford: "There's never been a better time to choose an amazing Ontario-made or Canadian-made product."
President Donald Trump, speaking to Fox News: "I love the people of Canada. I disagree with the leadership of Canada. And, uh, something's gotta happen there. But if they want to play the game I don't mind. We can play the game all they want."
'The Star' newspaper said in an editorial: "[Trump] wants us to buy that his tariffs are the inevitable consequence of our border policies, never mind that the flow of fentanyl from our country is a trickle while the flow of guns from his is a flood.
"[Trump is] trying to bully us — and how we and other like-minded, similarly threatened countries respond will shape the direction of the world in the years to come."
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, at a press briefing on Friday: "The president will be implementing tomorrow a 25 percent tariff on Mexico, a 25 percent tariff on Canada and a 10 percent tariff on China for the illegal fentanyl that they have sourced and allowed to distribute into our country, which has killed tens of millions of Americans. These are promises made and promises kept by the president."
What Happens Next
Canadian, American and Mexican leaders will speak today about the ongoing trade war.
Canadian leaders have encouraged citizens to buy Canadian goods to boost the domestic economy and avoid tariff costs.
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About the writer
Sophie Grace Clark is a Live News reporter based in London, with a focus on crime stories. She has also ... Read more