Latest news with #CanadaIsNotForSale
Toronto Sun
3 days ago
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
Letters to the Editor, July 17, 2025
Re 'Poilievre fighting ghosts as party loyalists grumble about campaign defeat' (Brian Lilley, July 9): Consider the resume of Pierre Poilievre. A lifetime politician trained to peck away at others with slogans and jabs. Consider a Conservative party leader with actual leadership, international and real-world work experience. Surely there is a candidate who would be an outstanding prime minister. Democracy in Canada would be stronger; the Conservatives would actually win. Time to thank Poilievre for his service and move forward. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Article content Brad Vollmershausen Port Dover (Thank the Liberals for adopting Poilievre's ideas.) ON THE MARK It's so nice to see Canadians proudly waving our flag and wearing phrases like 'Canada Is Not For Sale,' 'Never 51' and 'Elbows Up.' Our government, due to unjust tariffs, has reduced trade barriers between provinces and territories while looking for new trade partners and realizing the trade potential of our natural resources worldwide. Canadians, please be patient. It will take time before the above bears fruit and our economy is revitalized. Give Prime Minister Mark Carney a chance to turn things around, eh? Peter J. Middlemore Sr. Windsor (You actually believe Carney on the energy issue?) HIGHWAY HASSLES It has always been an irritant for me when I hear of lengthy full closures of highways for police investigations. Sure, first responders and police safety are paramount, but something needs to be done to speed up the process. Are there not better (quicker) ways to conduct the investigations and have there been reviews of the value of all these processes that take so much time? Are we doing this for insurance companies, the ability to lay charges or just safety? The cost of traffic congestion is in the billions and I think a full review and strict protocols are needed to reduce this situation. Bill Plancke St. Davids, Ont. (Don't be in such a hurry.)
CBC
29-06-2025
- Business
- CBC
Demand for 'elbows up' merchandise dips ahead of Canada Day, businesses say
Social Sharing When Rachael Coe decided to launch an "elbows up" merchandise line at her store in Yarmouth, N.S., in March, she said it was an immediate bestseller. Within a week, Coe said her Timeless Memories shop had already made 400 sales. By the end of the first month, she had sold 2,500 products ranging from T-shirts to hoodies to car decals. Demand for items bearing Canada's rallying cry against U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs and annexation threats was so high that Coe launched a website to keep up with the surge. "It was a response from all over Canada," she said. "We reached every single province, then we started covering worldwide. Our 'elbows up' merch went everywhere." Many Canadian businesses hopped on the patriotic trend that also saw Ontario Premier Doug Ford wearing a "Canada Is Not For Sale" ball cap ahead of a January meeting with Canada's premiers and prime minister. WATCH | How Mike Myers helped 'elbows up' became a Canadian rallying cry: #TheMoment 'Elbows Up' became a rally cry against Trump 4 months ago Duration 1:23 In response to U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs, Canadian actor Mike Myers may have started a movement by pointing to his elbow and mouthing the words 'elbows up' during appearances on Saturday Night Live. The phrase has caught on and has become a rallying cry in the trade war. But Coe's sales started slowing down by May. And despite a slight boost ahead of Canada Day, she said the "elbows up" line is now selling at similar rates to the classic red-and-white merchandise she sells every year around this time. Although business owners say they are selling more Canada-themed products this year leading up to July 1, many have also noted a decline in "elbows up" merchandise sales. The hockey phrase — which originated with the legendary player Gordie Howe — became a national rallying cry in March after Canadian comedian Mike Myers mouthed the words on Saturday Night Live while wearing a "Canada Is Not For Sale" T-shirt. initially embraced as a grassroots movement at the height of cross-border trade tensions and Trump's musings about making Canada the 51st state, it has shifted to a more generic expression of Canadian pride amid continued tensions, retailers and experts say. Others note that the phrase "elbows up" has increasingly been used in a partisan context, contributing to the marketing shift. Stephanie Tomlin, Toronto-based owner of the online business Shop Love Collective, said she saw an explosion in "elbows up" merchandise sales in March, selling as many as 10 or 15 products per day. Similarly, her sales began to stagnate in May. WATCH | Windsor, Ont., woman making hundreds of 'Elbows Up' pins: This Windsor, Ont., woman is making hundreds of 'Elbows Up' pins 3 months ago Duration 1:36 Many Canadians are re-thinking their relationship with the United States as U.S. President Donald Trump levies tariffs and threatens to make Canada the 51st state. Windsorite Mary Gilbeault is making hundreds of 'Elbows Up' pins to share her national pride. She speaks with CBC Windsor Morning host Amy Dodge. Leading up to Canada Day, she said she's selling "quite a bit more" merchandise compared with previous years, but that's due to interest in Canada-themed products across the board. "I think the climate in Canada is a little bit more settled after the election and that — we feel like we will never be the 51st state," Tomlin said, adding that Canadian patriotism is becoming less combative as annexation talks have died down. Howard Ramos, a political sociologist at Western University in London, Ont., said "elbows up" became "more partisan than it used to be" when Prime Minister Mark Carney embraced the phrase in his election campaign ads in late March. "It's just added to how the expression is dying down as a pan-Canadian claim," he said. "Now you see on social media, especially from Conservative handles, the use of 'elbows up' in a sarcastic way to criticize Mark Carney or Liberal policies." Negative online comments about the "elbows up" movement have discouraged Coe from promoting her products on Facebook. But when she's interacting with customers in her Yarmouth shop, she said the phrase isn't as divisive. "It's not a political term, and it simply means that you're defending your country — and everyone should be defending our country, just like you would defend [against] a goal in hockey," she said. WATCH | Why Canadians are saying 'elbows up': Why Canadians are saying 'Elbows Up' 4 months ago Duration 1:18 It's become a rallying cry against U.S. tariffs. But in hockey-loving Canada, the phrase also evokes memories of one of the game's greatest players: Saskatchewan-born Gordie Howe. Known to many as Mr. Hockey, he also earned the nickname Mr. Elbows. Danielle McDonagh, owner of Vernon, B.C.-based Rowantree Clothing, said she stopped promoting her "elbows up" merchandise on a large scale when she noticed the phrase being interpreted as an "anti-Conservative" and "boomer" movement. For McDonagh, increased concern about the political climate in the United States has also chipped away at the lightheartedness of the "elbows up" movement. "I think some of the levity is gone for me," she said. While sales of her "elbows up" products have dropped by about 90 per cent since hitting 1,000 in the first month, she said she continues to promote the merchandise in small batches at local markets in Vernon. Business owners say their customers continue to prioritize supporting the Canadian economy, as they are routinely answering questions about where their products are manufactured. And the push to buy Canadian isn't just coming from this side of the border. Coe said many American tourists arriving by ferry from Maine visit her shop in search of Canadian merchandise. Tourists "want to support us just as much as Canadians want to support us," she said. McDonagh said her business sees similar interest from Americans.
Hamilton Spectator
01-06-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Poll reveals who is Canada's most popular premier and who is most disliked
As first ministers gather against the backdrop U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war, a new poll suggests Alberta's Danielle Smith has the highest negatives of any premier. The Pollara Strategic Insights survey also found Ontario's Doug Ford is the country's most popular premier — thanks largely to his stance against Trump's tariffs. 'It's probably that she's been offside on the Team Canada approached to Trump — at least in some people's opinions — and she has raised the spectre of an Alberta referendum, which is obviously not going to be well received outside of Alberta,' Dan Arnold, Pollara's chief strategy officer, said Friday. 'She's potentially looming as a bit of a foil on the national stage,' said Arnold of Smith, who has publicly sparred with Ford over national unity and how to deal with the mercurial American president. Smith — who stressed she does not personally support separation — maintained she will hold a The Ontario premier, on the other hand, has been working closely with Prime Minister Mark Carney and has emerged 'as a bit of a national statesmen in some respects,' the pollster noted. 'Ford's national profile and popularity have really come from ... the 'Canada Is Not For Sale' hat and his tone against Trump,' he said. Using online panels, Pollara surveyed 3,400 people across the country May 16-20. While opt-in polls cannot be assigned a margin of error, for comparison purposes, a random sample of this size would have one of plus or minus 1.7 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. The firm found 47 per cent of respondents had a positive impression of Ford while 27 per cent had a negative one for a net rating of +19 per cent. In Ontario, the premier, who was reelected Feb. 27 with a third consecutive majority, has a +12 per cent ranking while outside his home province he is at +23 per cent. 'By taking the Captain Canada cape and running with it, he has built up that national profile,' said Arnold. At the other end of the popularity scale, 19 per cent had a positive impression of Smith with 29 per cent negative for a net rate of -10 per cent. In Alberta, where she is dealing with a health contracts scandal and a possible referendum on secession, she was at -5 per cent and was at -12 per cent in the rest of the country. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew has a +51 per cent rating at home and +16 per cent in other provinces. Quebec's François Legault, who polls suggest faces a challenging election next year, was at -10 per cent at home and +1 per cent outside his province. The Pollara poll comes as the recently elected Carney is meeting with first ministers in Saskatoon to discuss removing interprovincial trade barriers and expediting construction of 'nation-building projects' like pipelines, mines, ports and energy infrastructure to offset the impact of Trump's tariffs. 'Given that Carney's got Alberta roots ... I think for the next year or two that could be the interesting struggle in our politics — what happens in the midst of a referendum and how does Danielle Smith play in the rest of the country,' said Arnold.
The Province
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Province
‘Angry' Mike Myers defends 'elbows up' 'SNL' protest after Elon Musk jabs
'I wanted to send a message home to say that I'm with you' Mike Myers spoofed Elon Musk on a recent episode of 'Saturday Night Live.' Photo by NBC/ Getty Images Mike Myers is opening up on his Saturday Night Live 'Canada Is Not For Sale' protest T-shirt and his support for Liberal Leader Mark Carney. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The SNL alum made his first appearance on the late-night comedy show in over a decade last month, mocking tech titan Elon Musk in the program's cold open. Impersonating President Donald Trump, James Austin Johnson joked about Musk's newly created role as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency ( DOGE) . 'They're doing mass firings in the government. We love mass firings because you don't have to know what any of their names are or what exactly they do,' Johnson's Trump quipped. 'I mean, we're not going to get it perfect, you know, we are firing the non-essential employees, like air traffic controllers,' Myers goofily responded in character. As Trump threatened to levy devastating tariffs on his home country, Toronto-born Myers returned at the end of the episode sporting a black 'Canada Is Not For Sale' T-shirt that featured the Canadian flag. As the credits rolled, Myers mouthed 'elbows up' to the camera, referencing a common hockey term used to signal it's time to fight back. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The bit was one of the night's most talked-about online, with many praising Myers for standing up for Canadians. But Musk, who was born in South Africa but spent some of his early years living in Canada, seemingly lashed out at the parody in a post to X, writing, 'Humour fails when it lies.' In an interview with New York Times , Myers said he became 'angrier and angrier' as he thought about Musk's swipe that 'Canada is not a real country' after a petition was launched calling for the revocation of his Canadian citizenship. 'What happened came from my ankles and from my brain and from my heart, and it was not about me — it was about my country. I wanted to send a message home to say that I'm with you, you know,' Myers told the publication. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Mike Myers wearing a 'Canada Is Not For Sale' T-shirt on 'SNL' last month. Photo by NBC Myers, who was an SNL cast member from 1989 to 1995, has played Musk two other times this season. Earlier this month, Myers made light of recent attacks against the billionaire businessman's Tesla car dealerships . 'Recently, our dealerships have been the targets of many attacks,' Myers said in the sketch. 'Suddenly, no one likes Tesla cars. I asked myself why, then I answered myself. Because of me!' After one X user called Myers' taunts 'a new low in comedy,' Musk entered the fray once again to blast the late-night show, writing, ' SNL hasn't been funny in a long time. They are their own parody.' Myers, who's now a U.S. citizen after moving to America in 1988, also addressed Trump's constant jabs about Canada becoming the '51st state' and the punishing tariffs that threaten to cripple the country economically. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In an interview with Time magazine published Friday, Trump said that he is serious about having Canada become part of the U.S. When asked by Time's writer Eric Cortellessa if he was 'trolling a bit' with his suggestions that Canada join the U.S., Trump replied, 'Actually, no, I'm not.' 'We're taking care of their military,' Trump said. 'We're taking care of every aspect of their lives, and we don't need them to make cars for us. In fact, we don't want them to make cars for us. We want to make our own cars. We don't need their lumber. We don't need their energy. We don't need anything from Canada. And I say the only way this thing really works is for Canada to become a state.' Myers told the Times that Trump's constant remarks about Canada becoming part of the U.S. have 'really hurt our feelings.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'We love America. We love you guys. We don't understand what this madness is … Americans are the last people you would think would ever be a threat to us,' he said. Trump's rhetoric angered Myers so much that he filmed a political ad for Liberal Leader Mark Carney ahead of Monday's parliamentary election. 'I think he's very reasonable,' Myers said of Carney. 'He's taken a calm, resolute, articulate stance in defence of our sovereignty.' In the ad, Carney interrogates Myers with a series of questions aiming to test his knowledge of Canada. Myers easily aced Carney's quiz, which included questions about his hometown, Mr. Dressup's two puppet friends and his knowledge of hockey. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I wanted it to be like, 'I know I don't live there anymore, and let's talk about that,'' Myers said. 'I thought it would be funny if the prime minister of Canada ran an identity test on me.' Elsewhere in his conversation with the Times , Myers responded to chatter that fellow Canadian Wayne Gretzky has lost some of his standing in his home country thanks to his friendship with Trump. Calling the hockey legend a 'great Canadian,' Myers invited Gretzky to join him in standing up for Canada. 'Red Rover, Red Rover, we call Wayne over,' Myers said. 'I hope he does. We would accept him with open arms.' Myers also revealed one upside of Trump's incessant takeover talk. 'As the great Canadian poet Joni Mitchell said, 'You don't know what you've got till it's gone,'' he said. 'The possibility of it all being gone has raised our consciousness of how great we are.' mdaniell@ Read More Sports News Celebrity Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Whitecaps
Toronto Sun
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Toronto Sun
‘Angry' Mike Myers defends 'elbows up' 'SNL' protest after Elon Musk jabs
'I wanted to send a message home to say that I'm with you' Get the latest from Mark Daniell straight to your inbox Mike Myers spoofed Elon Musk on a recent episode of 'Saturday Night Live.' Photo by NBC/ Getty Images Mike Myers is opening up on his Saturday Night Live 'Canada Is Not For Sale' protest T-shirt and his support for Liberal Leader Mark Carney. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The SNL alum made his first appearance on the late-night comedy show in over a decade last month, mocking tech titan Elon Musk in the program's cold open. Impersonating President Donald Trump, James Austin Johnson joked about Musk's newly created role as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency ( DOGE) . 'They're doing mass firings in the government. We love mass firings because you don't have to know what any of their names are or what exactly they do,' Johnson's Trump quipped. 'I mean, we're not going to get it perfect, you know, we are firing the non-essential employees, like air traffic controllers,' Myers goofily responded in character. As Trump threatened to levy devastating tariffs on his home country, Toronto-born Myers returned at the end of the episode sporting a black 'Canada Is Not For Sale' T-shirt that featured the Canadian flag. As the credits rolled, Myers mouthed 'elbows up' to the camera, referencing a common hockey term used to signal it's time to fight back. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The bit was one of the night's most talked-about online, with many praising Myers for standing up for Canadians. But Musk, who was born in South Africa but spent some of his early years living in Canada, seemingly lashed out at the parody in a post to X, writing, 'Humour fails when it lies.' In an interview with New York Times , Myers said he became 'angrier and angrier' as he thought about Musk's swipe that 'Canada is not a real country' after a petition was launched calling for the revocation of his Canadian citizenship. 'What happened came from my ankles and from my brain and from my heart, and it was not about me — it was about my country. I wanted to send a message home to say that I'm with you, you know,' Myers told the publication. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Mike Myers wearing a 'Canada Is Not For Sale' T-shirt on 'SNL' last month. Photo by NBC Myers, who was an SNL cast member from 1989 to 1995, has played Musk two other times this season. Earlier this month, Myers made light of recent attacks against the billionaire businessman's Tesla car dealerships . 'Recently, our dealerships have been the targets of many attacks,' Myers said in the sketch. 'Suddenly, no one likes Tesla cars. I asked myself why, then I answered myself. Because of me!' After one X user called Myers' taunts 'a new low in comedy,' Musk entered the fray once again to blast the late-night show, writing, ' SNL hasn't been funny in a long time. They are their own parody.' Myers, who's now a U.S. citizen after moving to America in 1988, also addressed Trump's constant jabs about Canada becoming the '51st state' and the punishing tariffs that threaten to cripple the country economically. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In an interview with Time magazine published Friday, Trump said that he is serious about having Canada become part of the U.S. When asked by Time's writer Eric Cortellessa if he was 'trolling a bit' with his suggestions that Canada join the U.S., Trump replied, 'Actually, no, I'm not.' 'We're taking care of their military,' Trump said. 'We're taking care of every aspect of their lives, and we don't need them to make cars for us. In fact, we don't want them to make cars for us. We want to make our own cars. We don't need their lumber. We don't need their energy. We don't need anything from Canada. And I say the only way this thing really works is for Canada to become a state.' Myers told the Times that Trump's constant remarks about Canada becoming part of the U.S. have 'really hurt our feelings.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'We love America. We love you guys. We don't understand what this madness is … Americans are the last people you would think would ever be a threat to us,' he said. Trump's rhetoric angered Myers so much that he filmed a political ad for Liberal Leader Mark Carney ahead of Monday's parliamentary election. 'I think he's very reasonable,' Myers said of Carney. 'He's taken a calm, resolute, articulate stance in defence of our sovereignty.' In the ad, Carney interrogates Myers with a series of questions aiming to test his knowledge of Canada. Myers easily aced Carney's quiz, which included questions about his hometown, Mr. Dressup's two puppet friends and his knowledge of hockey. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I wanted it to be like, 'I know I don't live there anymore, and let's talk about that,'' Myers said. 'I thought it would be funny if the prime minister of Canada ran an identity test on me.' Elsewhere in his conversation with the Times , Myers responded to chatter that fellow Canadian Wayne Gretzky has lost some of his standing in his home country thanks to his friendship with Trump. Calling the hockey legend a 'great Canadian,' Myers invited Gretzky to join him in standing up for Canada. 'Red Rover, Red Rover, we call Wayne over,' Myers said. 'I hope he does. We would accept him with open arms.' Myers also revealed one upside of Trump's incessant takeover talk. 'As the great Canadian poet Joni Mitchell said, 'You don't know what you've got till it's gone,'' he said. 'The possibility of it all being gone has raised our consciousness of how great we are.' mdaniell@ Read More Sunshine Girls World Canada Toronto Maple Leafs Sunshine Girls
