GRAND PORTAGE, Minn. — A group of northeastern Minnesotans is showing love and support for Canada in the face of threats to its economy and autonomy from U.S. President Donald Trump.
About 65 members of Arrowhead Indivisible gathered Saturday, July 5 at the Pigeon River border crossing, armed with dozens of Canadian flags, to express their appreciation for Canada in an "Elbows Up" rally.
Arrowhead Indivisible is one of over 2,000 “progressive” grassroots groups across the U.S. under the Indivisible umbrella.
The Indivisible movement was started in 2016 as a reaction to Trump's first election victory.
The Elbows Up event was a coalition of about 24 groups (mostly Indivisible groups but also independent organizations) on the U.S. side of the border who came together to peacefully rally in demonstration of their solidarity with Canada.
"O Canada, we love you," stated a post on the Arrowhead group's Facebook page.
"As our neighbours, we like Canada just the way it is," said Barbara Gabler of Lutsen, co-leader of Arrowhead Indivisible. "We vehemently oppose President Trump's tariffs and threats to annex Canada as the 51st state," she added in an announcement about the rally.
In an interview this week, she said that at the Pigeon River event many of the Minnesota members spoke in front of a microphone about how much they've enjoyed being friends with Canadians.
Gabler said the mayor of Grand Marais participated, and a Grand Marais resident talked about the importance of Canada to the area's economy and way of life.
"Some woman from Silver Bay dressed up as the Statue of Liberty, and a friend of hers had a big Canadian flag, and they were playing the fife and drums...It was a very happy event, because we're coming together as a community."
Gabler told Newswatch she's heard questions about why no Canadians were at the rally.
"My answer to that is it's not for them to come down and say they want to be friends with us. We are the ones who need to make clear to them, and especially to the current administration, that we like things the way they are and we don't want to change."
Organizers of Elbows Up sent a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney saying mutual respect and partnership have been the guiding principles between Canada and the US for over 150 years, but the relationship changed after Trump was re-elected.
"We, as American citizens, have been ashamed," the letter states.
Other pro-Canada events are planned by Arrowhead Indivisible, including International Day of Friendship on Aug. 16.
