By Marc Snelling
Canadians love Americans. We know it’s mutual. We don’t need “Palm Springs Loves Canada” banners or multi-million “California Love” commercials from Gavin Newsom to prove it. Marketing campaigns from Palm Springs and California, among many other US cities and states, seeking to win back Canadian tourist dollars have all fallen flat. They don’t work because they tell Canadians what they already know. It is the rhetoric, threats and violence of the current US regime that fuel the grassroots boycotts of US travel and products. Americans may want to concentrate their efforts there if more Canadian tourist dollars.is what they want.
January 2026 saw the trend continue with the latest Stats Canada reporting showing a 26.8% year-over-year drop in Canadian return trips across the border. There remains no US alcohol on the shelves of government liquor stores in 11 of 13 provinces and territories. This isn’t because Canadians don’t enjoy California wine or Kentucky bourbon. It’s the taste of fascism they don’t care for. Many Canadians have grandfathers lying in the graveyards of Europe who fought fascism to build a better world for their children.
Canadians are commonly stereotyped as overly polite, hockey-playing, syrup-sipping snowbound Northeners who are always saying sorry. Whatever level of truth that stereotype has, what is wrong with saying sorry when you’ve made a mistake? Being polite helps things run smoothly. Two basic lessons lost on the current US regime (among many others.) Polite and fight co-exist, as anyone who has been to a hockey game knows. “Elbows Up” is a hockey expression Canadians use in relation to US boycotts. Meaning when the going gets rough you raise your elbows to connect with an opposing player’s head.
The Canadian icon of Elbows Up is Gordie Howe. The hockey player and namesake of the new international bridge slated to open between Detroit MI and Windsor ON. The same bridge vital to US trade the regime continues to threaten. One of many nonsensical threats from the White House. Like the presidential threat that China will “terminate all ice hockey” after Canada signed a new Chinese trade deal. Pro tip for the president – calling hockey “ice hockey” in Canada makes it obvious you are clueless.
Canadians might laugh off nonsensical tweets about China ending hockey. But threats of fascism, tariffs, annexation and war are no joke. Insulting the sacrifice of Canadian (and European) Armed Forces in places like Afghanistan is another White House pastime that gets zero laughs. Recent reports showed a 55% jump in Canadian recruits to the armed forces in 2025. While Canadian military leaders do not cite events in the US leading to that rise, rhetoric about annexing territories like Greenland is certainly something many Canadians heard loud and clear.
Of course Canadians and Americans are intertwined by family, business and many other ties. No US regime can change that. Canada has it’s own internal challenges with “Maple MAGA” thinking. But if US states and cities really want to move the dial on bringing Canadian tourist dollars back they might want to refocus their energy. Stop marketing to Canadian love and refocus on Washington DC. Throwing out fascists will not only make the US a better place but will be all the marketing needed to bring Canadians back. In the words of Canadian intellectual Ricky LaFleur that’s “getting two birds stoned at once.”
Marc Snelling is OB Rag’s Alaskan correspondent. A former OB Planning Board Chair, co-founder of OB Grassroots Organization, OB resident for 7 years, Marc moved North up the coast from 92107 to 99923. He is reporting on goings on in Canada South of the Alaska/BC border.
It is nice seeing your face and your article. After decades of B.S. I never thought Trump would go after Canada! Your always welcome in O.B. Hopefully we can keep it O.B. Take care. Best wishes.
Nice to hear from a Northern Obecean. As a now New Jersey OB transplant,, I can report that everyone here drools with envy when I tell them I spent 15 years in San Diego. Though it’s expensive here, too, they see California prices as nuts. And in the realm of politics, they see Trump that way as well. New Jersey voters elected Mikie Sherill governor by a wide margin over a MAGA- head. And the demonstrations here and in Philadelphia are ongoing.
Finally, the hoagies are better than Poma’s torpedoes but not by much.
Poma’s is still there; thanks for checking in. Many former OBceans use the Rag to keep up with what’s going on.