Local News
Canadians let their Maple Leaf flags fly like never before on Flag Day
Saturday marks the 60th birthday of the Canadian flag after it was first raised in 1965, and people across the country are showing off their national pride by taking part in Flag Day.
In a rally on the Burnaby-New Westminster border Saturday, many were holding Canadian flags and signs saying “Canada is not for sale.”
A number of officials attended the event at 10th Avenue and 8th Street, including MP Peter Julian, MLA Raj Chouhan, and MLA Jennifer Whiteside, who were saying unequivocally that Canada will never become the 51st state, a reference to Trump’s stated desire to annex Canada.
Many of those in attendance are telling 1130 NewsRadio that they do not want to be part of the United States, with one woman saying she was born Canadian and wants to die Canadian.
Threats are driving a well of national pride, poll finds
A Leger poll published this week found U.S. threats are driving a swell of national pride, with 85 per cent of Canadians saying they feel proud to be Canadian.
Some Canadians’ fears have been especially stoked over the past week. All 13 of Canada’s premiers travelled to Washington this past week for the first time in history on a joint mission to push back on Trump’s escalating tariff threats. Provincial and territorial leaders met with two top White House advisers, who promised to bring their message directly to the president.
James Blair, White House deputy chief of staff, claimed later Wednesday that they “never agreed that Canada would not be the 51st state.” Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey came away from the meeting saying it was “chilling” to hear a top White House adviser say Trump is serious about annexing Canada.
In a joint statement this week, former prime ministers Joe Clark, Kim Campbell, Jean Chrétien, Paul Martin, and Stephen Harper urged Canadians to fly the flag with pride as “never before” this Saturday on Flag Day. “Let’s show the world that we are proud of our history and proud of our country,” the statement said.
Condo building waives ‘no-flag’ rule
Retired minister Allan Saunders says his Victoria condo building is making an exception to its “no-flag” policy Saturday, letting residents show their patriotism like never before.
Saunders says what we are experiencing now may be a painful lesson for Canada.
“Post-Trump, if there is such a thing, Canada’s going to go forward in a way that we have learned from this experience,” he said. “We are realizing what we’ve known all along: we need to develop a broader range of trading partners.”
With files from David Nadalini, Michelle Meiklejohn, and The Canadian Press.
