Whitehorse, YT – A crowd of Yukoners donning red and white clothes and carrying the maple leaf marched from Rotary Park to Shipyards in support of Canada’s sovereignty.
The rally was organized in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war with Canada and repeated threats to turn it into the 51st state. Similar rallies have taken place in cities across Canada including Vancouver, Winnipeg and Toronto.
Tharian Botting, a member of the LGBTQ+ community who attended the rally, now feels the U.S. is an unsafe environment to travel to. Botting started wearing a poppy to show support for Canadian sovereignty and only buys Canadian products when possible.
“We are a sovereign nation. We have other partners, and Trump knows nothing but brute power and being a bully in the room,” said Botting. “Standing up to him is what’s really critical.”
Karl Panchout, a new immigrant from France, came to Canada because of its stronger social programs and attended the rally to oppose recent U.S. tariff measures.
Panchout argues that the policies of the Trump administration are unnecessarily driving a divide in North America and noted that he recently canceled plans to go to Beerfest in Haines, Alaska.
“It’s not against Alaska like not going to Haines and we like the people out there but we have to stand up and be strong to show that we don’t agree with these politics,” said Panchout.
