Protesters gathered outside the U.S. Consulate in Toronto for a national unity and “solidarity” rally against President Donald Trump, his tariffs and comments about Canada becoming the “51st state.” However, the demonstration quickly escalated into protesters pledging support for Liberal Leader Mark Carney and condemning his opponent, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
The small protest was one of many that took place at various U.S. diplomatic missions across Canada, including at the official U.S. Embassy in Ottawa and consulate offices in Calgary, Vancouver and elsewhere. Many of the “unified Canada” protesters were quick to attack Poilievre; some even wielded signs specifically targeting him.
At its peak, around 60 Canadians showed up carrying anti-Trump signs and chanting “Elbows Up.” A hockey phrase used to indicate an incoming fight that is now frequently being employed politically to indicate opposition to U.S. tariffs.
The rally started on the steps of the consulate, but police ordered protesters to move across the street. As the crowd began to disperse, Former NDP MP Charlie Angus arrived, telling protesters to remain in place.
“I was hoping I get an invite in, but they won’t let me in, but they’re not going to remove us from our city,” he told around 20 protesters as more gathered.
“This is not an American city. Suppose this is an American city. They can fire tear gas at us. They can threaten us. They can deport us to El Salvador, but they can’t because we’re Canadian in a country ruled by the rule of law,” said Angus.
Angus was referring to Trump’s deportation of Venezuelan Tren De Aragua gang members to an El Salvador prison.
Before leaving office, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau notably listed the gang as a terrorist entity. According to Angus, the deportation of the gang members is a sign of an “authoritarian takeover.”
“What’s happening right now with the fascism and the authoritarian takeover is, not only is it heartbreaking for me, I know about those stories about those people being shipped to El Salvador,” one protestor told True North. “I don’t understand how that’s legal. I don’t understand how citizens would stand for it.”
Trump recently floated the idea of sending Americans responsible for setting fire to several Tesla vehicles to the same prison, as Tesla’s founder Elon Musk plays a visible role in the U.S. administration. Trump has said that all deportees who were sent to the El Salvador prison were Tren De Aragua gang members.
The bluster from protesters was short-lived, however. An officer from inside the embassy came to speak with Angus, and he shifted his tune, telling the protesters to carry on the fight across the road.
“(Trump) told us we don’t have a right to exist as a country,” Angus told True North on the scene. “We’re here because they say that we are not a democratic nation with a right to an independent point of view. Canadians have stood up for our democracy again and again, and we will always stand up for democracy.”
Across the street, Angus delivered a pro-Antifa and pro-DEI speech, which riled the crowd up – making clear that for many, the protest wasn’t just for Canada’s sovereignty but against everything Trump stands for.
In an interview with True North, Angus doubled down on previous comments he’s made warning Canadians not to travel to the U.S. over alleged safety concerns.
“We’ve had really disturbing stories of people being taken off to ICE detention centres, deported people with proper visas for working in the country legally. It’s sending a terrible chill,” he told True North. “My advice is if we don’t have a government in the United States where the rule of law applies, where our consular officials can make sure people are being helped and looked after safely, then travel to the United States is something people shouldn’t do.”
According to government data, over two million travellers crossed into the U.S. by passenger vehicle without issue in February.
When asked about his support for a petition to have Musk’s citizenship revoked, he said it was never a legitimate request but it “sure sent a message” and “it sure pissed Elon off.”
Ang Stratton, the organizer of the protest, said the protest spanned across eight different cities in the country. She said the “grassroots movement” sprouted up in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Toronto, Halifax, Montreal and Quebec City.
“We are standing up for human rights, democracy for Canadian values of shared values of Canadians across the nation would be humanitarianism, equality, peace for all,” She told True North. “That’s what we’re here for today, obviously, as well as sovereignty.”
When asked what impact she believed the protest would have across the border, she said the protest was sending a “Unified message from all of Canada.” She said that whoever wins the next federal election needs to stand up for Canada’s sovereignty.
However, on the topic of Poilievre, Stratton was clear about where she stood.
“I think that Poilievre is just like Trump. He’s our version of that. And if he is our prime minister, we are going to be the 51st state,” Stratton said. “The things that are happening in the US, we are going to start to see happen here, as far as far as injustice and inequality goes.”
When asked what she thinks about Poilievre saying that Canada will never be the 51st state and that he would impose dollar-for-dollar tariffs against Trump, she claimed his values align “very much” with the U.S. administration without specifying.
Tony Brecknock, another protester, said that Trump deserved to be “socked right on the nose” when discussing retaliatory tariffs.
“We’re dealing with a bully. We’ve got to respond in kind…we’re dealing with somebody who has the IQ of a pumpkin that just understands one thing, and that’s what he perceives as strength,” Brecknock said. “It’s the only way he will understand. Donald Trump, you need to be socked right on the nose. You need a bloody nose. And that’s the only thing you understand. Come on down.”
Brecknock alleged that there was a “MAGA-light” movement in Canada brewing in the Conservative party. He said the Freedom Convoy was a “real joke” and that he’s happy he can now “get (his) flag back.”
He, along with the others interviewed, said they would be casting their vote with Mark Carney’s Liberals despite most of them historically voting for the NDP.