Trash talking is nothing new for the sports world. Think of the long-running competition between the Yankees and the Red Sox on the diamond or battles between Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill on the college hardwood.These rivalries aren’t usually fueled by politics – or international trade policy. But in recent days, as U.S. and Canadian athletes have jockeyed for wins out on the court or the ice, Canadian fans have taken out their frustrations with America’s new administration in the stands.
Sports fans from America’s northern neighbor have used the playing of the ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ at NBA and NHL games as a way to express their displeasure with President Donald Trump’s signature tariffs.
After initially waging a hefty 25% tariff against Canada at the end of last month, making good on a 2024 campaign promise, Trump reversed course and delayed the tariffs for at least 30 days. The president said he reached a deal with Canada to improve border security and designate drug cartels as terrorists.
Yet Trump has not let up in this growing trade war, announcing last week 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports. Canada is among the U.S.’ largest suppliers of steel.
And Thursday, the president instructed his administration to pursue reciprocal tariffs, instituting penalties against individual countries that have fees on U.S. goods. Not to mention, Trump has called Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a ‘governor’ and talked about making Canada the 51st state.
His actions have frustrated Canadian officials. Trudeau called the duty on steel and aluminum ‘entirely unjustified.’
‘We are (the) U.S.’s closest ally. Our economies are integrated,’ Trudeau told reporters Tuesday. ‘Together, we make North America more competitive.’
Some Canadian consumers appear no less incensed.
America’s anthem, athletes booed across sports
The vocal protests began in Ottawa shortly after Trump signed an executive order on Feb. 1 that would have implemented tariffs. The U.S. anthem was booed at that evening’s NHL game between the Senators and Minnesota Wild.
The same thing happened the following day in Vancouver as the Canucks hosted the Detroit Red Wings.
‘It’s too bad,’ said Wings forward Patrick Kane, who hails from Buffalo, New York, on the Canadian border. ‘I guess you can maybe understand it from this side, but it seems like it’s a thing that’s going around the league right now.’
The booing spread to Toronto, where the NBA’s Raptors play.
And it has continued two weeks later, reaching the 4 Nations Face-Off hockey tournament, which on Saturday had the USA facing Canada in Montreal. As both teams had famous athletes introduce them, American figure skating icon Michelle Kwan was booed as she took the ice.
Announcements have been made before games at the tournament asking fans to respect the singing of the national anthems, but there were still boos from the crowd at Bell Centre over the weekend, particularly as the ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ started and ended.
What are tariffs?
Tariffs are a tax on goods exchanged between countries. While the extra fee is placed on the importers, in this case American businesses, consumers oftentimes bear the burden in the form of higher prices and potential inflation to pay for the tariffs’ implementation.
Under Trump’s latest plan, his administration will impose tariffs against certain countries equivalent to whatever fee they are placing on American exports.
Some economists told USA TODAY that reciprocal tariffs are also expected to raise everyday costs. The president and his allies have argued the fees will spur companies to make products and other goods in the U.S.
‘Whatever they charge us, we’re charging them,’ Trump said Thursday. ‘It’s a beautiful simple system.’