Today in Elbows Up! Comments and posts about Quebec, sports MVPs, the ICE gestapo, Canadian deal-making, Carney diplomacy, American rallies, and a new book

Canada hasn't had to do as much "Elbows Up!" cheering lately as we did last winter -- we are rapidly getting used to the new reality of not travelling to the US, not buying US products, and laughing at the Orange Buffoon as often as we can.

But I think July may be challenging -- Carney is finished with the G7 and NATO meetings, he has made agreements with European countries for trade and defense. Trump's tariff deadlines are approaching, though who knows whether anything Trump says actually means anything now.
I have been seeing a few posts and comments relating to Elbows Up so I thought I would share them.

First - even in Quebec!

View on Threads

Here's an interesting discussion of exactly that point:

Francine Pelletier / Canadian Geographic

On guard with thee: A rapprochement between French Quebec and English Canada
How Donald Trump sparked a new Canadian nationalism
...Never one to back down from a fight, Quebec has joined Canada’s active resistance to Trump’s tariffs and threats of annexation. The fear and uncertainty that has gripped Canadians around job losses, inflation and market volatility caused by the despotic U.S. administration — not to mention its attacks on democratic institutions, free speech, higher education and due process — are equally felt by Quebecers
This unprecedented crisis is bringing French Quebec and English Canada, the perennial odd couple, closer together. Not only do we share a common foe in Donald Trump; we share, for the first time in our 266-year history, fear for our survival. English Canada now understands what it means to be apprehensive about one’s own existence — which is precisely what drives nationalism, for better or for worse. Nationalism is built not only on pride but on the fear of losing one’s identity. Now, both sides, English and French, alongside First Nations, Métis and Inuit, are obliged to confront these existential woes.
...What happened? The socio-political context today is vastly different than the one that spurred the sovereignty movement 50 years ago.... The utopian dreams of the ’60s and ’70s have given way to dystopian nightmares. The planet is dying, American autocracy is at our door, and the world built in the wake of the Second World War to guarantee justice, freedom and equality for all is crumbling. What else can we do but stand up and hold on tight to our better angels? This fight is bigger than any one nation or goal. The world is being reprogrammed, and we need to throw our hats into the ring. I think most Quebecers understand this. This is a fight that we can only wage together.

And this is good news too, isn't it:

Elbows up?

[image or embed]

— Guy Gavriel Kay (@guygavrielkay.bsky.social) June 25, 2025 at 11:45 AM

American states are noticing that Canadians aren't visiting anymore, and they're losing millions of dollars.
So the governors are trekking to Canada to plead with us to come back - they seem to think we're just mad at Trump; they don't realize, or refuse to realize, that we're also just goddamned terrified to try to cross their border because their Border Gestapo can throw us into a prison for weeks if we have the wrong photo on our phones.

View on Threads

View on Threads

This story is sort of hilarious, really, though also awful. 

A Norwegian tourist was detained and denied entry to the U.S. because immigration officials found a joke photo of "Bald Baby Vance" on his phone and poor widdle Vancie thinks the photo sort of embarrassing.
But now the story has gone around the world, and the Bald Baby Vance photo is spreading around the world too:

We have reached Peak Streisand.😭

[image or embed]

— News Eye (@newseye.bsky.social) June 24, 2025 at 12:48 PM

Canadians are also dissing the ICE Gestapo:

Elbows up.

- Donald Mitchell

Read on Substack

Elbows Up!

[image or embed]

— Larry (@ahbseen.bsky.social) June 25, 2025 at 3:40 AM

Fox News doesn't like Canada anymore, it seems

View on Threads

Are our elbows still up? They should be.

[image or embed]

— Bromptonymous 🇨🇦 (@bromptonymous.ca) June 26, 2025 at 11:54 AM

Trump thinks he should put a Revenge Tax on us

View on Threads

But Canada is seizing the deals now

View on Threads

View on Threads

Elbows Up.

[image or embed]

— Gordon Wark (@1stwark.bsky.social) June 23, 2025 at 12:31 PM

And America is even being told to copy Canada air traffic control

View on Threads

One disturbing trend I am noticing is there seem to be more and more "anti-Carney" posts, on X particularly, but also on other social media.  Its like the "fuck Trudeau" Maple MAGA crowd has just transferred all their hate to "fuck Carney", without missing a beat. It's bizarre.
I'm also seeing other posts complaining about Carney speaking nicely to Trump at the G7 and NATO meetings, and not criticizing the bombing of Iran nuclear sites.
People, grow up!
Yes, I know it would be gratifying and delightful and even speaking truth to power to see Carney lambasting Trump and all his stupidities. 

But Trump is not only the leader of a powerful wealthy country, he is also immature, bombastic and vengeful.  Even the mild rebukes Carney made during the G7 press conferences are risky when dealing with the thinnest-skinned person in the world.. 

Not to mention, pointless.
And if Carney gave into a juvenile impulse to riposte at Trump the way he deserves, does anyone think that Trump would suddenly start treating Canada better? 

Yeah, right. I don't think so.
But I see even Canadian media who seem to think Carney should take a few useless and destructive jabs at Trump, just so we could all be entertained and pat ourselves on the back about how we really told him, didn't we.

VASSY: [At the G7] the Prime Minister is literally thanking the President for his world leadership at a time when the President has abandoned the US's position as a world leader. That's not elbows up. JOLY: The Prime Minister was doing the diplomatic work that was required from Canada. #cdnpoli

[image or embed]

— Scott Robertson (@sarobertson.bsky.social) June 22, 2025 at 11:10 AM

Exactly. Because Carney's job is actually to save us from the mad king - he's edging us all closer to the door while he makes smooth moves and says soothing things:

Canada will work to increase defense and security co-operation through SAFE and the new security and defense partnership (and to decrease their spend on US-made equipment). www.cbc.ca/news/politic...

[image or embed]

— Elbows Up for Canada! (@elbowsupforcanada.us) June 23, 2025 at 1:32 PM

And on July 5, some Americans near the border are starting to organize friendship rallies:

July 5th's Elbows Up for Canada rallies are getting popular! Find an event near you, or start your own and let us know! elbowsupforcanada.us#july5 #Never51 #StandOnGuard #ElbowsUp

[image or embed]

— Elbows Up for Canada! (@elbowsupforcanada.us) June 23, 2025 at 7:53 PM

This will be a good read, too:

We weren’t as engaged in the questions of who we are as a country. That has changed. Annexation threats will do that. ELBOWS UP, a collection of Canadian writers putting their shoulders to the wheel on these questions, coming this October. Preorder here: www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/808505...

[image or embed]

— Elamin Abdelmahmoud (@elamin.bsky.social) June 19, 2025 at 10:39 AM