No longer Canadian: Wayne Gretzky's Canadian identity questioned after Donald Trump friendship sparks controversy
Wayne Gretzky, one of Canada's most beloved sports figures, has found himself at the center of a firestorm — not for anything he did on the ice, but because of who he's standing beside politically.
The hockey legend's long-standing relationship with U.S. President
Donald Trump
has fueled nationalistic backlash, especially as Trump continues to make inflammatory remarks about Canada.
Canadian fans claim Wayne Gretzky has 'lost' his Canadian identity
The controversy reached a boiling point earlier this year after Donald Trump proposed a 25% tariff on Canadian goods and even joked about Canada becoming the 51st U.S. state. During this tension, Trump publicly referred to Wayne Gretzky as a 'free agent' when it comes to choosing between the U.S.
and Canada. That comment didn't sit well with many Canadians, who viewed it as both divisive and disrespectful.
— daveryder (@daveryder)
Matthew Iwanyk, Chief Operating Officer and host at Edmonton Sports Talk, voiced what many Canadians were feeling. 'You were a great Canadian, but now you are not,' he said in March, according to the New York Times. 'That is the majority sentiment you will get from Edmontonians. ... As much as we love hockey, we love our country more."
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy
IC Markets
Tìm hiểu thêm
Undo
This emotional reaction underscores how deep Gretzky's influence runs in Canadian culture — and how serious the fallout can be when that identity is questioned.
Wayne Gretzky responds with diplomacy, but critics remain unswayed
Despite the uproar, Gretzky has made it clear he wants no part in political warfare. Speaking with Ben Mulroney on Toronto's AM-640, he said, 'I don't worry about those kind of things because you can't make everybody happy... But, trust me, I have no political power with the prime minister or the president.'
Still, images of Gretzky in a MAGA hat and attending Trump events with FBI Director Kash Patel haven't helped his case in the eyes of critics. His wife, Janet Gretzky, even posted — and later deleted — a heartfelt thank-you to fellow hockey icon Bobby Orr for defending Wayne: 'It has broken his heart to read and see the mean comments.'
Also Read:
Throwback to when Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan, and Bo Jackson became animated crime-fighters in 90s cult cartoon ProStars
In the end, Gretzky's silence on Trump's policies may not be enough to protect his legacy from political fallout — especially in the country he once so proudly represented.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
First Post
24 minutes ago
- First Post
Spain Scraps F-35 Jet Deal as Trump Pushes for More NATO Spending Firstpost America
Spain Scraps F-35 Jet Deal as Trump Pushes for More NATO Spending | Firstpost America | N18G Spain has indefinitely shelved its plans to buy the US-made F-35 fighter jets, dealing a blow to Lockheed Martin and Washington's defence sales push. Instead, Madrid is choosing between the European-made Eurofighter and the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), keeping its $12.2 billion defence budget spending within Europe. This decision also reflects growing concerns over the F-35's reliability, following a string of crashes and operational issues. Despite over 900 jets already delivered to allies like Israel, Japan, and the U.K., buyer confidence appears to be slipping. Spain's move comes as Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez resists US pressure to raise defence spending beyond NATO's 2 per cent target, a position that has drawn criticism and tariff threats from President Trump. See More
Time of India
25 minutes ago
- Time of India
Washington DC unemployment at a high for third straight month: District's July rate reaches 6% mark; federal cuts, court-backed layoffs fuel rise
Unemployment on rise in Washington (AI-image) US capitol Washington DC maintained the nation's highest seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for three consecutive months, according to recent Bureau of Labour Statistics data released on Tuesday. The District's July unemployment rate reached 6%, primarily due to extensive federal workforce reductions implemented by President Donald Trump 's Department of Government Efficiency. The declining international tourism, a significant revenue source for DC, is anticipated to further affect the District's rising unemployment figures, according to the analysis cited by Associated Press. July data showed increased unemployment in neighbouring states, with Maryland rising to 3.4% from 3.3% and Virginia increasing to 3.6% from 3.5%, as per state-specific unemployment statistics. Since Trump's second term commenced, federal agencies have experienced widespread staff reductions through layoffs and voluntary resignations, prompting legal challenges from labour unions and advocacy organisations. The Supreme Court's July ruling enabled the Trump administration to proceed with federal workforce reductions, despite concerns about service disruptions and substantial job losses among federal employees. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play this game for 3 minutes, if you own a mouse Undo Recent DC Office of Revenue Analysis data indicates increasing unemployment payments to federal workers. April payments totalled $2.01 million, rising to $2.57 million by June. The DC Fiscal Policy Institute suggests these federal layoffs will worsen the District's Black-white unemployment disparity. The current national unemployment rate is 4.2%, with South Dakota recording July's lowest rate at 1.9%. US international tourism continues declining. The World Travel & Tourism Council reports reduced visits from British, German and South American tourists, attributed to Trump's policies, tariffs and border-related concerns. A May analysis projects international visitor spending in the U.S. to decrease to nearly $169 billion this year from $181 billion in 2024, representing a 22.5% reduction from the previous peak. These employment statistics follow the Republican president's and GOP governors' deployment of National Guard troops to DC, aiming to address crime and strengthen immigration enforcement. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays , public holidays , current gold rate and silver price .
NDTV
34 minutes ago
- NDTV
"Unacceptable": US On India 'Buying Russian Oil, Reselling' Amid Ukraine War
Washington: US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday accused India of profiteering from its sharply increased purchases of Russian oil during the war in Ukraine, saying Washington viewed the situation as unacceptable. Bessent told CNBC in an interview that Russian oil now accounted for 42% of India's total oil purchases, up from under 1% before the war, and contrasted that with longtime buyer China, whose Russian oil purchases had increased to 16% from 13%. "India is just profiteering. They are reselling," Bessent said. "What I would call Indian arbitrage - buying cheap Russian oil, reselling it as product has just sprung up during the war - which is unacceptable," he said. US President Donald Trump this month announced an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods as a punishment for New Delhi's purchases of Russian oil, bringing the total additional tariffs announced since he took office to 50%. Trump has credited the Indian tariffs as piling pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to work toward ending the war in Ukraine, but has stopped short of imposing similar tariffs on China over its purchases of Russian oil. Bessent, asked about the Trump administration's failure to move ahead with similar tariffs on China, said the situation was "completely different" given that Beijing was a longtime buyer and had not engaged in the kind of "arbitrage" done by India. US-India relations have been strained by Trump's tariffs after months of forecasts by the US president and other officials that they were close to reaching an agreement with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government on a trade deal that would have lowered the tariff rate. India on Tuesday temporarily suspended an 11% import duty on cotton until September 30, a move seen as a signal to Washington that New Delhi is willing to address US concerns on agricultural tariffs. It came after the abrupt cancellation of a planned visit by US trade negotiators to New Delhi from August 25-29.
