‘Stop the attacks on Canada’: Elbows Up Rallies return to Western New York

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — On Saturday, two "Elbows Up" rallies returned to Western New York, drawing crowds at both Freedom Park in Buffalo and Terrapin Point in Niagara Falls.

Dozens of participants expressed their opposition to tariffs already put in place by the Trump administration and comments made by the president about making Canada a ‘51^st state’ back in January.

According to a White House fact sheet in April, Canada was left off the list of countries receiving "reciprocal tariffs,” making them largely exempt from the then-sweeping tariffs.

However, Tariffs still in place include a 25% tariff on non-compliant CUSMA goods, such as aluminum, steel and certain types of lumber and dairy.

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"Hoping that if we continue to have these events all along the border, that we eventually get the message to Washington, that we do not annex our friends,” Kate Powers, who is an organizer of the event, said

“We’re seeing an unwanted, undesired and unneeded damage of relationships between the US and Canada,” Michael Powers said.

"This is a twofold message, to our friends in Canada, we support you, we love you,” Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said. “To the policymakers in Washington, stop the attacks on Canada, it’s hurting our local economy."

This was the second "Elbows Up" rally in Buffalo.

The first occurred in April, just before the president imposed "reciprocal tariffs" on the "worst offenders," which the White House estimated to be about 60 countries.

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