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Globe and Mail
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
Canada Day celebrations in the U.S. take on a deeper meaning this year
On Canada Day, the Canadian community in Los Angeles will gather to celebrate at an art deco bar in Hollywood. A DJ will spin Cancon classics and the menu will feature poutine, Caesars and Moosehead. Unlike in past years, however, there will be no cover charge or photographer, in a bid to encourage as much attendance as possible. It will be a chance, organizers hope, for Canadian expats to commiserate after an often-stressful six months. 'It's about pulling everyone together and keeping everyone unified,' said Erin Buckley Burnett, president of Canadians Abroad of Southern California. 'We just want everyone to come to a safe place and talk and have a good time.' For many of the estimated 800,000 Canadians living across the U.S., the holiday has taken on added meaning with the return of Donald Trump to the White House. There are worries over visa renewals amid the horror stories of people with valid work permits getting thrown into immigration detention. There is the trade war. And there are Mr. Trump's '51st state' annexation threats. 'It definitely felt more important to do it this year and get Canadians together to, for lack of a better term, unify ourselves,' said Marty Seed, who organized his 19th Canada Fest in Atlanta last weekend. The event, held at a brewery, drew about 300 people with live music, kids street hockey and a poutine truck. New Brunswick Celtic folk-rockers Jason Martell and Corey MacDonald got the children up onstage to dance. 'I'd never seen so many families and kids attend. It was a great turnout. It was a great, fun day,' Mr. Seed said. Toronto-based Big Sugar had been scheduled to perform, he said, but the band had to pull out after his drummer couldn't get his U.S. performers visa processed on time. A computer programmer who lived in Halifax, Toronto and Ottawa before moving to the U.S. in 2000, Mr. Seed's prominence in the local expat network has meant he's received a lot of ribbing in recent months about his country being annexed. 'The humour didn't last too long for me, personally. It's like, okay, now you're being disrespectful,' he said. But the Americans he spoke to at Canada Fest took the opposite tack. 'They jokingly said, 'We apologize for how our president has been treating you.'' Within his circles, he has been advising people eligible for U.S. citizenship to apply for it, to have the best chance at avoiding immigration problems. One man Mr. Seed plays hockey with, for instance, has lived in the U.S. for 30 years but has chosen to remain on a green card. Even before Canada Day, the tidal wave of patriotism back home was washing across the border. When the Canadian Association of New York held an election-watch party in April – piping in a CBC feed – the venue was packed until after midnight, said Reena Bhatt, the group's vice-president. The event was at Terroir, a Tribeca wine bar owned by Toronto native Paul Grieco. Ms. Bhatt, a lawyer originally from Ottawa who has lived in the U.S.'s largest city for 25 years, said she believes Mr. Carney is 'the right person for this time,' given his level-headed demeanour and economic experience running Canada's and Britain's central banks. 'Are people experiencing the patriotism? I would say yes. I always have been. I feel very patriotic, and I am even prouder to be Canadian today given who's leading our country,' she said. The group is expecting its Canada Day party, at a bar overlooking the Hudson River in Manhattan, to sell out, as it does every year. The most official celebration in the U.S. will be that at the Canadian embassy in Washington on Tuesday. The host, Ambassador Kirsten Hillman, is leading Canada's talks with the Trump administration for a bilateral economic and security agreement. Arguably the most prominently located diplomatic outpost in the city, the embassy sits on Pennsylvania Avenue with sweeping views of the Capitol. The evening celebration will unfold on the building's front terrace, bringing a display of Canadian patriotism to the main street of U.S. political power. On top of these larger events put together by the Canadian government and sundry expat groups, Canadians across the U.S. will be marking the day with more casual celebrations. In Anchorage, Alaska, local Canadians will gather at a lake this Saturday to share food, play games and go canoeing. In Dallas, they will mark the occasion on Sunday with a DJ at an outdoor swimming pool. World Bank employees in Washington are planning a happy hour for Wednesday. They are all examples of the coming-together that Ms. Buckley Burnett is seeing in SoCal. Many expats feel uncomfortable talking about the situation in person but have reached out to her for phone chats. Others have joined protests in recent weeks against Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids. A former political staffer at the Ontario provincial legislature, Ms. Buckley Burnett moved to the U.S. in 2014 with her American husband. She's settled in Santa Monica, Calif., where she works in the non-profit sector. The diversity in her adoptive city means that the Americans she knows have been supportive of their immigrant and expat neighbours. 'The overall sentiment here is that we're lucky we're in California, because everyone has been so welcoming and made us feel at home,' she said. 'In fact, they've been talking about opportunities to move to Canada.'
CTV News
2 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Canada issues latest update on efforts to help Canadians leave Middle East amid Israel-Iran conflict
Canada's Foreign Minister Anita Anand speaks at a press conference at the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin, Thursday June 26, 2025. (Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa via AP) Global Affairs Canada (GAC) has issued its latest update in its effort to assist Canadians hoping to leave the Middle East, amid a tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Iran. According to GAC, more than 800 Canadians, permanent residents and eligible family members have left Israel, Iran and the West Bank, as of Thursday. The department also says it's offering consular services upon arrival in third safe locations, and is arranging transportation for Canadians hoping to leave the region. GAC has arranged for five more people to travel on buses from the West Bank to Jordan, and for seven more people to fly from Jordan to Greece on a chartered flight. In a post on X on Thursday, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand also issued an update, writing that Israeli and Iranian airspace are open , though commercial flights may be limited. Canadians in the Middle East are being encouraged to register with GAC. As of Tuesday, there were 5,601 Canadians in Iran, 6,146 in Israel, 450 in the West Bank and Gaza, 7,112 in Qatar, and 1,017 in Iraq, according to GAC. 'Tensions between Israel and Iran remain high,' Anand wrote. The conflict between Israel and Iran escalated two weeks ago, when Israel attacked nuclear and military sites in Iran. Following Iranian retaliation and further assault from both sides, the U.S. also struck Iranian sites. The adversaries have since accepted a ceasefire, according to U.S. President Donald Trump. 'Israeli authorities have largely lifted restrictions across the country, allowing for a return to full activity,' according to the update from GAC. 'Reports from Iran point to a gradual return to normal activities.' The government has faced criticism for lacking efficiency in helping Canadians leave the Middle East, including from former Conservative MPs Michelle Ferreri and Rick Perkins, both of whom were in Israel when the conflict escalated. Both have since returned home. According to GAC, the department will reduce the frequency of its updates going forward as the ceasefire holds, but will issue them when there is new information.
CBC
5 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
Hundreds of Canadians have fled Middle East but thousands more remain: officials
Hundreds of Canadians and permanent residents have fled the Middle East as the war between Israel and Iran continues to escalate — but officials estimate there are thousands still in the region. Roughly 6,000 Canadians and permanent residents are in Israel and the West Bank, officials with Global Affairs Canada (GAC) told journalists during a background briefing on Monday. Another 5,500 are estimated to be in Iran. The officials didn't give a specific number, but said "hundreds" have left the region and that the government plans to assist those seeking to leave. They said the situation remains highly volatile and it is difficult to get a grasp of the exact number of Canadians who have left each part of the region. They said some have left of their own volition without necessarily notifying the federal government. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand announced last Thursday that the federal government was organizing commercial flights out of neighbouring countries, as the airspace in both Iran and Israel has been closed. More than 60 Canadians left Israel and the West Bank via government-arranged buses and were transported to Amman, Jordan, officials said. Roughly 100 more are expected to leave Tuesday with a flight booked from Aqaba, Jordan, to Athens. Officials said there are likely more Canadians who have left by other means. There is limited assistance that the government can provide to those in Iran, as Canada doesn't have a diplomatic presence in the country. But GAC officials said there is a diplomatic presence at border crossings in Turkey and Armenia to help with transportation and accommodation options for Canadians and permanent residents leaving Iran. There has also been a Canadian diplomatic station set up at the Iranian border with Azerbaijan. Even though the Astara crossing point has been closed for four years, GAC officials said Canadian diplomats have been able to assist with visa applications at that crossing, and that Azerbaijani officials have allowed roughly 100 Canadians to cross.
CBC
19-06-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Canada organizing flights in neighbouring countries for Canadians fleeing Israel, Iran
The federal government is planning to help Canadians fleeing the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran by organizing commercial flights out of neighbouring countries, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says. Speaking to CBC News Network's Power & Politics in an interview airing Thursday, Anand urged Canadians fleeing both countries to head to Jordan, Turkey and Armenia, where Canada is boosting its consular services. "We are very concerned about Canadians in the region and we are encouraging all parties to exercise maximum restraint," she told host David Cochrane. Commercial airspace over both Israel and Iran has been closed as Israel and Iran have launched numerous attacks in the past week. Anand encouraged Canadians seeking consular services to register with Global Affairs Canada.
CTV News
16-06-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Canadians urged to exercise caution as Israel-Iran conflict escalates
The Israeli Iron Dome air defence system fires to intercept missiles over Tel Aviv, Israel, Sunday, June 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) The federal government is advising Canadians in the Middle East to stay vigilant as tensions between Israel and Iran escalate. Global Affairs Canada is urging Canadians in the region to remain alert, follow the guidance of local authorities and prepare for possible travel disruptions, including flight cancellations and airspace closures. The updated advisory, issued Sunday, raised the travel risk levels for Qatar. Risk level updates as of June 15: Israel: Avoid all travel Avoid all travel Iran: Avoid all travel Avoid all travel Jordan: Avoid non-essential travel (with regional advisories) Avoid non-essential travel (with regional advisories) Qatar: Exercise a high degree of caution As of June 15, Global Affairs Canada says it has received no reports of Canadian casualties related to the recent violence. According to the Registration of Canadians Abroad service, 78,893 Canadians are registered in the Middle East, including 2,129 in Iran and 6,376 in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. The government notes that registration is voluntary and may not reflect the actual number of Canadians currently in the region. Canadians in the Middle East are encouraged to ensure their travel documents are up to date and to check regularly for the latest information. The government says the travel advisories will continue to update as the situation evolves and a dedicated crisis response webpage has also been launched to help inform and support Canadians abroad. Those in need of emergency consular assistance can contact Global Affairs Canada's 24/7 Emergency Watch and Response Centre: • Phone: +1 613-996-8885 • Email: • SMS: +1 613-686-3658 • WhatsApp: +1 613-909-8881
