THIS is the jaw-dropping moment Canadian basketball fans boo the US national anthem in fury over President Donald Trump’s world trade war.
Toronto Raptors fans expressed their disapproval of the 25% tariffs imposed on Canadian imports during an NBA game on Sunday by loudly booing the American national anthem.
Initially, basketball fans had cheered for a 15-year-old girl who performed the anthem before the home game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Scotiabank Arena.
But it soon became obvious that fans weren’t thrilled about the Star Spangled Banner being sung.
As the young girl tried to battle through the national anthem, deafening boo’s from Canadian fans echoed around the stadium.
And once the song was over, a mixture of jeers and awkward applauds were captured on video.
The Toronto crowd then later erupted into applause for the Canadian anthem “O Canada”.
The same negative reactions were also seen at NHL games in Ottawa, Ontario, and Calgary, Alberta on Saturday night, which happened shortly after President Trump mentioned possible tariffs on imports from Canada, the United States’ neighbor to the north.
And fans also booed Sunday night when a singer began her performance of the American national anthem in Vancouver, British Columbia – when the NHL’s Canucks hosted the Detroit Red Wings.
Red Wings forward Patrick Kane, who was born in New York, said after Detroit’s win: “I mean, it’s too bad, right? It is what it is.
“I guess you can maybe understand it from this side but seems like it’s a thing that’s going around the league right now.“
Trump has slapped a 25 per cent tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico and add another 10 per cent tariff on to Chinese trade.
Energy, like oil and natural gas, imported from Canada was also only hit with a 10 per cent tariff.
Trump believes the taxes are “worth the price” to stopping the manufacture and import of the deadly drug fentanyl.
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a news conference last night that, in response, he will impose 25 per cent retaliatory tariffs on US goods worth an eye-watering $107 billion.
But the CEO of Canada’s second largest company has slammed Trudeau for not stopping the spiralling trade war.
Tobi Lutke, who co-founded Shopify and is worth an estimated $10 billion, wrote on X: “Canada thrives when it works with America together. Win by helping America win.
“Trump believes that Canada has not held its side of the bargain.”
He adds that Trump’s demands “are things that every Canadian wants its government to do too”.
When revealing the revenge sanctions, Trudeau delivered the announcement in a somber tone, channelling the betrayal that many Canadians are feeling.
What is the trade war?
By James Halpin and Annabel Bate, Foreign News Reporters
DONALD Trump has started a trade war after he slapped steep tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico.
The newly-inaugurated president believes the taxes are “worth the price” to stopping the manufacture and import of the deadly drug fentanyl and ending the “RIPOFF OF AMERICA”.
But prices of fruit like avocados and tomatoes and manufactured products like cars or computers are set to be more expensive for Americans.
A trade showdown could cost families $1,000 (USD) and slow down general growth if prices spike – but the Republican appears ready to risk it with the taxes kicking in Tuesday.
Trump slammed those opposing the tariffs saying the US was no longer going to be the “stupid country” that was subsidizing others.
He said his tariffs could bring some pain to the economy, but that is the “PRICE THAT MUST BE PAID” to end trade deficits with Canada, Mexico and China.
In a post on TruthSocial on Sunday, he said: “MAKE YOUR PRODUCT IN THE USA AND THERE ARE NO TARIFFS!!
Trump has slapped a 25 per cent tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico and add another 10 per cent tariff on to Chinese trade.
Energy, like oil and natural gas, imported from Canada was also only hit with a 10 per cent tariff.
But soon Mexico and Canada announced condemnatory retaliatory tariffs on the US.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum ordered the mysterious “Plan B” to go into effect which “includes tariff and non-tariff measures” in a lengthy X post.
She said that her government sought dialogue over confrontation with the US – but now Mexico has had to respond with similar force.
While no specifics have been provided on Plan B, Mexico has previously suggested it would impose levies ranging from 5 to a whopping 20 per cent.
These would be put on pork, cheese, fresh produce, steel and aluminium.
And Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that he will impose 25 per cent retaliatory tariffs on US goods worth an eye-watering $107 billion.
He reminded Americans that Canadian troops fought alongside them in Afghanistan and helped respond to myriad crises from wildfires in California to Hurricane Katrina.
Trudeau said: “We were always there standing with you, grieving with you, the American people.
“It is going to have real consequences for people, for workers on both sides of our border. We dont want to be here.
“We didn’t ask for this, but we will not back down in standing up both for Canadians and for the incredible successful relationship between Canada and the United States.”
GOODS TO BE HIT FIRST
Auto companies have built supply chains that cross the borders of the US, Mexico and Canada.
Over one in five of the cars and light trucks sold in the US were built in Canada or Mexico, S&P Global Mobility reports.
In 2023, the US imported $69 billion worth of cars and light trucks from Mexico, and $37 billion from Canada.
Meanwhile another whopping $78 billion in auto parts came from Mexico, and similarly $20 billion from Canada.
Trade analyst Scott Lincicome said: “You have engines and car seats and other things that cross the border multiple times before going into a finished vehicle.
“You have American parts going to Mexico to be put into vehicles that are then shipped back to the United States.
“You throw 25% tariffs into all that, and it’s just a grenade.”
China also serves as a major supplier of auto parts to the US.
The average US car prices could therefore rise by around a whopping $3,000, TD Economics claims.
And Canada is America’s biggest foreign supplier of crude oil, meaning the tariffs could result in higher gas prices, “particularly in the Midwest,” according to Lincicome.
The tariffs have the potential to push up US gasoline prices overall by 30 cents to 70 cents a gallon.
Consumer goods that Americans depend on could be impacted due to the tariffs imposed on China.
Phones and computers along with other key electronic devices were in the top imports from China last year, according to Commerce Department Data.
And the US imported over a shocking $32 billion in “toys, games and sporting goods” from China last year too.
Americans also import billions of dollars worth of clothing in a year from China.
Tariffs could also raise the price of alcohol – including tequila and Canadian whisky.
In 2023, the US imported $4.6 billion worth of tequila and $108 million worth of mezcal from Mexico, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.
The US also imported $537 million worth of Canadian spirits, including $202.5 million worth of whisky.
