Canadians by reputation are a polite bunch, but apparently tariffs instituted this weekend by newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump have overcome that because a large group of them were anything but mild-mannered when the "Star Spangled Banner" started playing at an NHL game.
They booed and jeered.
The game was between the Detroit Red Wings and the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on Sunday, but local reporters also revealed the same thing happened at a game between the Ottawa Senators and the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night.
What's fueling the Canadians to lose their cool? Trump on Saturday instituted 25% on all imports from Mexico and Canada. Additionally, energy imported from Canada – including oil, natural gas, and electricity – will be taxed at 10%. A 10% duty was also placed on all imports from China.
The NY Times reported "The three countries account for more than a third of the products brought into the United States, supporting tens of millions of American jobs."
Trump's stated goal is to force other countries to stem the flow of migrants flowing into the U.S. and to make them work harder to halt their production of fentanyl, but the Times and others predict consumers could see higher prices immediately for many goods, including groceries.
As expected, the other countries responded with tariffs of their own on American goods, "The Canadian government has made plans to target orange juice from Florida, whiskey from Tennessee and peanut butter from Kentucky, while Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, has said her country is prepared to respond with retaliatory tariffs," the Times reported.
How it will play out is unknown, especially since just 48 hours after Trump enacted the tariffs, it was announced they're on pause for a month. But in the first battles, the winners were clear. Canada's Senators demolished Minnesota's Wild 6–0. And the Red Wings beat the Canucks, 3-2.