Hundreds of Americans turn out for 'Elbows Up for Canada' rally
In an effort to show Canadians that many Americans value the relationship between the two countries, hundreds of North Country residents came out to the 'Elbows Up for Canada' rally in Ogdensburg, N.Y. Saturday afternoon.
Article content
A number of signs, red T-shirts and Canadian flags could be seen in front of Ogdensburg City Hall as many upstate New York residents showed their support for their Canadian friends across the river.
Article content
Article content
Article content
'It's been heartening to see the enthusiasm, and the crowd has been wonderful,' said Ginger Storey-Welch, one of the organizers of the rally. 'We wanted to show Canadians that we care about them and value them.'
Article content
Article content
Article content
Overall, approximately 200 Americans showed up to the rally, many with signs and T-shirts that were Canadian-themed.
Article content
One of those people was Pat Kingsley, who wanted to support the cause and have her voice heard.
Article content
'What Candians have been hearing from our administration is not what's in our hearts,' she said. 'Canadians have always treated us fabulously.'
Article content
The rally was meant as a display of friendship amid the ongoing trade war between the United States and Canada, and U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated remarks suggesting Canada should become the 51st state.
Article content
The event began at 1 p.m. at Ogdensburg City Hall, where organizers got the rally going on a sunny Saturday afternoon.
Article content
Article content
Along with everyday Americans, there were a few local officials who attended the rally and shared some words.
Article content
The first speaker was Josh Pearlman, who spoke on behalf of senior New York Senator Chuck Schumer.
Article content
'For generations, the United States and Canada have been close friends and staunch allies, boasting a relationship between neighbouring countries that is simply unrivaled anywhere else on the planet,' read Senator Schumer's letter. 'Recent events have strained that friendship, and unsurprisingly, it's already hurting North Country communities.'
Article content
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Vancouver Sun
an hour ago
- Vancouver Sun
CBC host resigns, saying he could not continue at public broadcaster 'with integrity'
A national CBC host announced his resignation from the public broadcaster Monday in a letter alleging he could not continue to work there 'with integrity.' Travis Dhanraj describes leaving the network where the veteran journalist once hosted his own show. 'I am stepping down not by choice, but because the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has made it impossible for me to continue my work with integrity,' he wrote. 'After years of service — most recently as the host of Canada Tonight: With Travis Dhanraj — I have been systematically sidelined, retaliated against, and denied the editorial access and institutional support necessary to fulfill my public service role.' Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Dhanraj has spent 20 years in broadcasting, with stints at Global and Bell Media. 'When I joined CBC, I did so with a clear understanding of its mandate and a belief in its importance to Canadian democracy,' he wrote. 'I was told I would be 'a bold voice in journalism.' I took that role seriously. I worked to elevate underrepresented stories, expand political balance, and uphold the journalistic values Canadians expect from their public broadcaster.' But, according to Dhanraj, 'what happens behind the scenes at CBC too often contradicts what's shown to the public.' He accused the public broadcaster of 'performative diversity, tokenism, a system designed to elevate certain voices and diminish others.' Dhanraj's lawyer, Kathryn Marshall, said Monday that the CBC didn't want him booking 'Conservative voices' on his show. 'It turned out, to Travis' surprise, there was a strong editorial direction that he was supposed to promote,' Marshall said. Dhanraj is Black. 'CBC, when they hired him, thought that they were getting someone who would espouse a certain world view,' Marshall said. 'I think they looked at him and they looked at the colour of his skin and they made some assumptions.' Marshall is weighing making a complaint to the Canadian Human Rights Commission about her client's treatment at the CBC. His allegations would include discrimination, reprisal and harassment, she said. Dhanraj said he 'was repeatedly denied access to key newsmakers. Internal booking and editorial protocols were weaponized to create structural barriers for some while empowering others—particularly a small circle of senior Ottawa-based journalists.' Dhanraj said when he 'questioned these imbalances,' he was 'met with silence, resistance, and eventually, retaliation. I was fighting for balance and accused of being on a 'crusade.'' His show, according to Dhanraj, was rebranded. 'My name removed. My access curtailed. My medical leave was whispered about in the newsroom.' Dhanraj claims he got in hot water over his April 2024 post on the social media platform now dubbed X about how the top CBC honcho at the time declined an interview request to discuss new budget funding for the public broadcaster. Dhanraj said he 'was presented with (a non-disclosure agreement) tied to an investigation about a tweet about then CBC President Catherine Tait. It was designed not to protect privacy, but to sign away my voice. When I refused, I was further marginalized.' Marshall said that 'CBC wanted him to sign an NDA in exchange for his job.' Dhanraj went on leave in July 2024 and returned to full-time hours last December, she said. 'Within basically the first week of his return he was immediately retaliated against by CBC for not signing the NDA,' Marshall said. 'He was, at that point, permanently removed as the host of Canada Tonight, and his salary got slashed, and it was evident at that point that he had no future or career at the CBC.' According to Dhanraj, 'these were not isolated actions. They were part of a pattern that sent a clear message: fall in line or be removed. I stayed as long as I could, but CBC leadership left me with no reasonable path forward.' That's 'taken a real toll — on my health, my career, and my trust in an institution I once believed I could help reform from within,' Dhanraj wrote. 'But the greater harm is to the public: a broadcaster that no longer lives up to its mandate, a culture that resists accountability, and a system that punishes those who dare to challenge it.' The CBC rejected Dhanraj's claims. 'This morning Travis Dhanraj, a unionized employee of CBC/Radio-Canada who is currently on leave, sent internal notes making serious allegations. While we are limited in what we can say in response due to privacy and confidentiality considerations, CBC categorically rejects the accusations made about CBC News, our staff and management,' Kerry Kelly, who speaks for the public broadcaster, said in an email. Dhanraj's show was announced in late 2023, hit the airwaves in early 2024 and was done within the year. 'Travis's engaging curiosity and incredible range of experience allows him to translate complex stories into personal terms and help audiences make sense of the news, which will be key as Canada Tonight sharpens its focus on stories that matter at home and make a difference in this country,' CBC executive Andree Lau said in a statement at the time. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Global News
2 hours ago
- Global News
Transport committee votes to study BC Ferries' Chinese ship contract
The House of Commons transport committee has voted unanimously to study BC Ferries' procurement of vessels from a Chinese-owned shipbuilder. 'Outsourcing Canadian jobs is always wrong, and it's even worse when we have these unjustified steel and aluminum tariffs,' Conservative MP Dan Albas said, who represents the riding of Okanagan Lake West—South Kelowna. BC Ferries opened bidding for its major vessel replacement project to pre-qualified shipyards last September, and in June, announced it had chosen China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyards (CMI Weihai) following a due diligence process. That decision has landed in the choppy waters of a global trade war and a surging 'buy Canadian' movement that was not on the radar last fall. BC Ferries was then awarded a $1 billion loan from the Canada Infrastructure Bank to purchase the ships, which then led Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland to send a letter to B.C. Transportation Minister Mike Farnworth to check that 'with utmost certainty that no federal funding will be diverted to support the acquisition' of the Chinese-made ferries. Story continues below advertisement 'The Liberal Infrastructure Bank gave out their largest investment to date, $1 billion of taxpayer-funded loans, not for building Canadian ships to power our Canadian economy, but to build up the Chinese economy, Chinese workers, and to power their own economy,' Conservative MP Leslyn Lewis, who represents Haldimand—Norfolk, said. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'Canadians want to know why has taxpayer-funded Liberal bank not ensured that its loans are not being used to fund industries in foreign nations,' she added. 'The question also arises, how did the Minister of Infrastructure and this Liberal government allow this to happen? This is not what Canadians expect.' 2:15 BC Ferries criticized over decision to award contract to Chinese-owned shipyard There were questions raised about why there wasn't a Canadian company that bid on the deal, including B.C.'s Seaspan, but senior vice-president of strategy, business development and communications Dave Hargreaves told Global News that's in part because while it has the capability, it doesn't currently have the capacity. Story continues below advertisement The company is essentially fully booked through the end of the decade, building Coast Guard and Canadian Navy ships. The committee will call Freeland, Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson and the CEOs of BC Ferries and the Canada Infrastructure Bank to testify. These hearings are to be scheduled within the next 30 days. –with files from The Canadian Press
Toronto Sun
2 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
EDITORIAL: Canada's retaliatory tariffs hurt Canadians
Prime Minister Mark Carney (left) and U.S. President Donald Trump arrive for a photo during the Group of Seven (G7) Summit at the Kananaskis Country Golf Course in Kananaskis, Alta., on June 16, 2025. Photo by GEOFF ROBINS / AFP via Getty Images Given that Canada's retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. are having no discernible impact on the American economy and increase the cost of living for Canadians, what is the value of continuing them? 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 Retaliatory tariffs imposed by Prime Minister Mark Carney's government on the U.S. were an understandable political response to President Donald Trump launching a trade war on Canada by imposing tariffs on us. The problem is that they aren't an effective economic response. Here's how Ottawa explains its retaliatory tariff policy: 'Canada's countermeasure of applying tariffs on U.S. goods being imported into Canada raises the prices of those goods for sale in Canada, making them less desirable for Canadian consumers to purchase. Read More '(By) reducing their demand by Canadian consumers, this sends a message to U.S. businesses and the U.S. government on the need to reverse the imposition of tariffs …' 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. Given that the U.S. economy is 10 times the size of ours, that message isn't being received. University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe, writing in The Hub last month, reported that in April — the latest data available — the economic decline in the U.S. due to Canada imposing counter-tariffs on $95.4 billion worth of U.S. goods represented 'about $3.8 billion in missed Canadian purchases from U.S. firms.' That's a barely detectable 0.1% decrease to the American economy, which has a nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of about $41 trillion in Canadian currency. (The voluntary 'Buy Canadian' campaign advocated by the federal government and others has not had a discernible impact on these numbers.) RECOMMENDED VIDEO This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Carney's campaign platform said it expected $20 billion in increased revenue from its counter-tariffs this fiscal year, which it would use to cushion Canadians from the adverse economic impact of the tariff war with the U.S. That means our government has acknowledged the economic harm done by these counter-tariffs, which is why it has waived or suspended many of them. The best outcome will be if the U.S. and Canadian governments agree to a reasonable trade and security deal by the July 21 deadline. However, if that fails, prompting an all-out tariff war between Canada and the U.S., Canada's retaliatory tariff policy needs to be reconsidered. Columnists Toronto Blue Jays Toronto & GTA Canada Sunshine Girls
