Toronto crowd gets its elbows up in show of solidarity against U.S. tariffs, annexation threats

Torontonians rubbed elbows with a few Canadian celebrities in Nathan Phillips Square Saturday afternoon to push back against U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs and annexation threats.

Part of the grassroots "Elbows Up, Canada!" campaign, Saturday's rally was billed as a "peaceful show of unity, resilience and strength," at a time when Trump is making threats against Canada's sovereignty and slapping tariffs on Canadian goods. 

Fittingly, chants of "elbows up!" echoed through the crowd several times as organizers and homegrown celebrity speakers took the stage.

The hockey phrase — which originated with the legendary player Gordie Howe — became a national rallying cry this month after comedian Mike Myers, who grew up in Scarborough, mouthed the words on Saturday Night Live while wearing a "Canada is not for sale" T-shirt. T

The March 1 episode aired just days before the U.S. slapped 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods. Most of those tariffs were subsequently paused until April 2. 

Saturday's gathering in Toronto was the second "Elbows Up" rally in Ontario this month after about 1,000 people rallied at Parliament Hill a few weeks ago.

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow was invited to speak, along with famous Canadians like Dragons' Den star and business leader Arlene Dickinson, comedian Shaun Majumder and Blue Rodeo's Jim Cuddy, who performed his new trade war-inspired song, We Used to be the Best of Friends.

Majumder, who'd been living in California for about 20 years, told CBC News ahead of the rally that he "could not have picked a better time in Canadian history to repatriate back to this country."

Although this is only the second official "Elbows Up" rally, Majumder said the idea is gaining steam across the country.

"Every time I post something about an 'Elbows Up' thing that's happening, people are like, 'Come to our city, come to our town, we want this to happen across the country.'" Majumder said. 

Co-organizer Peter Wall says he and other volunteers started "Elbows Up, Canada!" as a way to bring Canadians together and send a peaceful message.

"We're all kind of feeling something right now as a country," Wall said. "The message is really that Canada is worth standing up for." 

But for the American government, Wall said the rallies hold a different message: "We're neighbours, we're friends, but we don't want to get married."

Organizers want to keep the rallies a non-partisan celebration of Canadian pride, Wall said. Provincial or federal politicians aren't invited to speak, though all are welcome to attend.