Elbows Up”: How a Hockey Tactic Became Canada’s Defiant Rallying Cry Against Trumpian Aggression

Introduction

In recent weeks, Canada has witnessed an unprecedented political mobilization under the unlikely banner of “Elbows Up” – a phrase borrowed from ice hockey’s physical lexicon that has transformed into a national resistance slogan against U.S. President Donald Trump’s escalating economic and rhetorical assaults.

This grassroots movement, crystallized during a massive Parliament Hill demonstration on March 9, 2025, represents a cultural reclamation of Canadian identity and a strategic response to existential threats ranging from punitive tariffs to outright annexation fantasies.

The rapid adoption of this hockey metaphor across political spectrums, cultural institutions, and civil society reveals profound shifts in Canada’s geopolitical calculus and domestic unity as it confronts its most severe bilateral crisis since the Confederation.

The Origins of “Elbows Up” in Hockey Culture and Gordie Howe’s Legacy

Gordie Howe: From “Mr. Hockey” to Symbol of National Resistance

The phrase “Elbows Up” traces its lineage directly to Gordie Howe, the Saskatchewan-born NHL legend whose 26-season career (1946-1980) redefined physical play. Known as “Mr. Hockey” and “Mr. Elbows,”

Howe perfected using raised elbows not merely as defensive tactics but as psychological weapons – a method memorably described in his autobiography: “If a guy slashed me, I’d grab his jersey, pull him alongside me, and elbow him in the head.”

This approach, immortalized in Floral, Saskatchewan’s statue depicting Howe's mid-elbow swing, became synonymous with Canadian hockey’s blend of skill and grit.

Howe’s legacy gained renewed relevance when Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew invoked the term during a February 2025 legislative debate, warning that Canada “can’t be a punching bag” against Trump’s threats.

The metaphor resonated precisely because it encapsulated a distinctively Canadian response – combining measured restraint with readiness to counterpunch.

Cultural Codification Through Media and Comedy

The phrase vaulted into mainstream consciousness through two pivotal interventions.

On March 1, 2025, Toronto-born comedian Mike Myers closed Saturday Night Live by mouthing “Elbows Up” while wearing a “Canada Is Not For Sale” shirt – a moment repeated the following week, generating 28 million social media impressions within 72 hours.

This comedic framing transformed the slogan from sports jargon into a viral protest meme, with users superimposing Howe’s statue onto images of Parliament Hill and creating parody videos showing historical Canadian figures “elbowing” American aggressors.

Simultaneously, sports networks began airing archival footage juxtaposing Howe’s 1970s-era elbow checks with Trump’s tariff announcements – a narrative device that cast current tensions through Canada’s cherished hockey mythology.

TSN’s weeklong “Hockey vs. History” series drew 4.2 million viewers by analyzing how Howe’s tactics could inform modern trade diplomacy.

Political Adoption and the Parliament Hill Mobilization

From Viral Slogan to Policy Framework

The Liberal Party’s embrace of “Elbows Up” reached its zenith during Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s March 9 farewell address, where he declared: “We are a nation that will engage in diplomacy when possible but stand firm when necessary: Elbows Up!”. This rhetorical shift accompanied concrete policy measures:

Economic Countermeasures

Imposition of reciprocal 25% tariffs targeting U.S. agricultural exports from Trump-supporting states

Security Enhancements

A C$2.1 billion boost to Arctic defense capabilities amid Trump’s musings about “revising boundary treaties”

Diplomatic Outreach

Accelerated trade negotiations with the European Union and ASEAN blocs to reduce dependency on U.S. markets

Opposition leaders, including Conservative interim chief Pierre Poilievre, endorsed the strategy during an emergency parliamentary session, marking a rare cross-party consensus.

The March 9 Parliament Hill Protest: Anatomy of a Movement

The March 9 demonstration, attended by 1,200+ protesters and headlined by former Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy, revealed the slogan’s unifying power. Key elements included:

Symbolic Displays

Protesters brandished hockey sticks topped with elbow pads and modified the national anthem’s lyrics to “O Canada, we stand on guard with elbows high.”

Intergenerational Appeal

Veterans of 1988 Free Trade protests marched alongside Gen Z activists wearing Howe-era Detroit Red Wings jerseys

Economic Representation

Auto workers from Windsor carried banners reading “UAW Local 245: Elbows Up Against Tariffs.”

Axworthy’s speech encapsulated the strategic shift: “Trump has graduated from irritant to adversary… We must respond with the discipline of Howe – using legal frameworks as our elbow pads and multilateral alliances as our sticks”.

The Trumpian Threat Matrix: Tariffs, Annexation, and Institutional Warfare

Economic Warfare Through Tariff Volatility

Trump’s March 2025 reimposition of “Section 232” national security tariffs—fluctuating weekly between 10% and 25% on Canadian aluminum, timber, and manufactured goods—has created what Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem termed “calculated chaos.” The psychological impact mirrors Howe’s tactic of unpredictable elbow strikes to destabilize opponents.

Rhetorical Escalation and Annexation Discourse

Trump’s February 28 remarks to Fox News – “Those lakes? The treaties? All negotiable. Maybe we take the oil areas as a security deposit” – triggered a 12% plunge in the loonie and emergency G7 consultations.

Legal scholars note the 1909 Boundary Waters Treaty lacks exit clauses, making Trump’s threats legally hollow but psychologically potent.

Institutional Subversion Tactics

Emulating his approach to Ukraine, Trump has:

Blocked NORAD radar data sharing since February 15

Directed ICE to “audit” Canadian tech workers on H-1B visas

Encouraged Michigan legislators to sue Canada over Line 5 pipeline disputes

These actions mirror Putin’s hybrid warfare playbook, exploiting institutional interdependencies – a vulnerability Axworthy’s Policy Magazine essay warned about in March 2025.

Legal and Multilateral Counterstrategies

Invoking the USMCA’s “Non-Interference” Clause

Global Affairs Canada filed a formal complaint on March 5, citing Article 34.7 of the USMCA, which prohibits “coercive economic measures to influence sovereign decisions.”

While the dispute mechanism remains stalled due to Trump’s refusal to appoint panelists, the move provides legal grounding for WTO counteractions.

The European Pivot

Canada’s March 10 agreement to supply the EU with 15 million tons of LNG annually through 2030 – bypassing U.S. energy giants – demonstrates the “Elbows Up” doctrine’s proactive dimension.

The deal includes security cooperation clauses committing 2,000 Canadian troops to NATO’s Eastern flank, directly countering Trump’s pro-Putin stance.

Domestic Unity Legislation

The proposed Canadian Economic Sovereignty Act (CESA) would

Ban U.S. firms from critical infrastructure projects

Create a C$10 billion strategic industries fund

Criminalize compliance with “extrajudicial U.S. sanctions”

Though opposition parties dispute details, the bill’s Second Reading passed 290-22 on March 11 – reflecting extraordinary consensus.

Cultural Reassertion and Identity Politics

Hockey as Metaphorical Armory

The “Elbows Up” movement consciously appropriates hockey’s cultural capital:

Hockey Night in Canada replaced its theme music with “Elbows Up” remixes during the March playoffs

Tim Hortons launched the controversial “Double-Double the Resistance” campaign featuring augmented reality filters that superimpose hockey helmets on users

The CBC documentary Howe’s Children drew 3.8 million viewers by paralleling 1972 Summit Series tensions with current U.S. relations

Redefining “Canadian Niceness”

The slogan allows Canadians to reconcile their self-image as polite international actors with newfound assertiveness.

As University of Toronto sociologist Dr. Lin Mei notes: “Elbows Up isn’t about aggression – it’s about maintaining space to be oneself. That’s quintessentially Canadian”.

Comparative Perspectives: Ukraine Lessons and Authoritarian Playbooks

Axworthy’s Ukraine Analogy

In his Policy Magazine manifesto, Axworthy warned: “Canada is becoming Ukraine North – targeted by an authoritarian regime exploiting dependency and institutional naiveté

Learning From Zelenskyy’s Resistance

Ukrainian Ambassador Yuliya Kovaliv’s March 8 Ottawa speech emphasized three lessons for Canada

Deterrence Through Preparation

“We survived by anticipating Putin’s moves.”

Alliance Diversification

“The EU didn’t replace U.S. support but supplemented it.”

Cultural Mobilization

“Every Ukrainian became an ambassador of our cause.”

These principles now guide Canada’s 2025 foreign policy white paper, prioritizing ASEAN trade over U.S. ties.

The Road Ahead: Scenarios and Strategic Recommendations

Potential Escalation Pathways

Trade War Spillover

Full-scale U.S. auto tariffs could erase 3.4% of Canada’s GDP

Energy Conflicts

Shutting down Enbridge’s Line 5 would trigger Midwest U.S. fuel shortages

Arctic Militarization

Both nations have deployed icebreakers to disputed Beaufort Sea areas

Prescription 1: The “Digital NORAD” Proposal

Former CSIS director Richard Fadden advocates a C$4.7 billion cyber defense network with EU partners – a 21st-century version of Cold War-era cooperation.

Prescription 2: Constitutional Reinforcement

McGill University’s Centre for Constitutional Studies proposes amending Section 44 to require referendums on any treaty altering territorial sovereignty – a direct response to Trump’s boundary threats.

Prescription 3: Civil Society Mobilization

The non-profit “Elbows Up Canada” has trained 45,000 volunteers in community resilience planning, from tariff-impacted businesses to municipalities anticipating hybrid attacks.

Conclusion

The Elbow’s Edge

Canada’s embrace of “Elbows Up” represents more than momentary pushback – a strategic identity recalibration forged through hockey’s cultural lens.

By channeling Gordie Howe’s calculated physicality and Mike Myers’ subversive humor, the movement has achieved what decades of diplomatic initiatives could not: A coherent framework for resisting coercive dominance while preserving national character.

Yet, as Lloyd Axworthy cautioned protesters on Parliament Hill: “Elbows protect, but they don’t win games.

For that, you need to skate forward. “The coming months will test whether Canada can transform its defensive posture into an offensive opportunity, using trade diversification, alliance innovation, and cultural confidence to carve space in an increasingly transactional world order.

As Howe’s elbows created room for his legendary wrist shots, Canada must now leverage its resistance into a renewed global engagement.