Canadian fans continue to boo US national anthem before NBA and NHL games despite tariff pause

CNN
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Fans in Canada continued to boo the US national anthem before games in the NBA and NHL on Tuesday, despite news the previous day that US President Donald Trump had agreed to pause tariffs on the nation.

“The Star-Spangled Banner” was met with a chorus of boos at Rogers Arena in Vancouver before the Canucks’ 3-0 victory over the Colorado Avalanche, according to the Associated Press.

Boos turned to cheers as singer Elizabeth Irving finished the song, and those cheers grew louder once she started a rendition of “O Canada.”

Trump announced the tariffs, which risked potentially significant price increases for American consumers, on Saturday. They consisted of a 25% duty on most imports from Canada and all imports from Mexico, as well as a new 10% tariff on Chinese goods.

He then agreed on Monday to pause tariffs on Canada and Mexico for one month just hours before they were due to come into effect. That came after speaking with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, both of whom made commitments to bolster security at their respective borders with the US.

“Canada has agreed to ensure we have a secure Northern Border, and to finally end the deadly scourge of drugs like Fentanyl that have been pouring into our Country, killing hundreds of thousands of Americans, while destroying their families and communities all across our Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

As CNN has reported, Canada makes up just 0.2% of US border fentanyl seizures.

In Toronto, many Raptors fans booed the US national anthem ahead of the team’s 115-121 defeat to the New York Knicks. The boos were not as vociferous as they were before Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers, but “O Canada” was still met with loud cheers, particularly the line “True North strong and free!”

There were also some boos before the NHL game between the Winnipeg Jets and the Carolina Hurricanes which, while not particularly loud, increased in volume towards the end of the song. The Jets won the game 3-0, their seventh straight victory.