Canadians are using ‘elbows up’ to hit back at US tariffs. Here’s what it means

  • Canadians are using the phrase “Elbows up” to encourage each other to stand up to the United States.
  • The phrase originates from hockey legend Gordie Howe, known for his toughness and use of elbows on the ice.

Canadian Prime Minster Carney is using the hockey phrase, ‘Elbows up’, to strengthen national resolve against the United States.  Canada owns hockey, so they can rally around that.

Pathetic.

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Canada, just stop.

I’ve got nothing against Canada or Canadians.

International trade is not my field, and I won’t purport to be a fresh expert on tariff policy.

I like the chicken dance.

During my engineering days, my technician, Randy, was Canadian.  He worked at a Caterpillar dealership in Toronto, and was assigned to my project to get practical experience.  Randy was smart, diligent and witty. 

Once in a conversation, Randy used “Et tu, Brute?”  That killed me.  A heavy equipment mechanic quotes a Latin phrase from Shakespeare. 

Randy and I got along well.  I asked him how Canadians view the United States.  Randy said that, “Canada looks at Americans, the way that Americans look at Mexicans.”

This was a third of a century ago, when immigration was a different topic.  Randy was saying that Canada considers itself to be more elite and sophisticated, but with some affection and almost a familial relationship. 

At that time, his point was understandable.  Canada is where you’d go to drink at 18 years-old, rather than wait to be 21, and the Canadian side of Niagara Falls was better.

Since then, Canada hasn’t been doing so well.  It never meets it’s agreed upon NATO obligations.  Economically, their GDP per capita is 25% less than in the US. 

Nothing wacky or oppressive used to happen in Canada, but that has changed.

I do not know what President Trump is asking of Canada, but Prime Minister Carney would do better by trying to make a deal.  Being smug and dismissive will hurt Canada, and the US won’t even notice.

Carney’s effort to rally support or national pride is so lame.  At least know what is going on in hockey before using it for a campaign.