Elbows Up: A Proactive Action Plan for Civilian Resistance

The Growing Threat to Canadian Sovereignty

Before dismissing the scenario below as far-fetched, consider these documented developments:

Multiple news sources have reported on escalating threats to Canadian sovereignty. Former U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested that Canada should become "the 51st state," initially dismissed as rhetorical flourishes but now viewed with increasing alarm by Canadian officials as his comments have grown more specific and insistent.

In particularly concerning statements, Trump described Canada as "not a real country" and the border as merely "an artificial line." He proposed annexation based partly on aesthetic considerations, calling Canada "the most visually stunning country" while suggesting Canadians could keep "O Canada" as a state anthem—a patronizing concession that reveals the unequal power dynamic he envisions.

More alarmingly, Trump has backed these statements with economic pressure, imposing 25% tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum while threatening further increases. He explicitly framed annexation as a "solution" to these manufactured trade tensions, suggesting that becoming part of the U.S. would eliminate tariffs entirely—essentially economic coercion disguised as generosity.

Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly has expressed serious concerns about the destabilizing effects of this rhetoric. Meanwhile, reports indicate Trump has questioned the validity of the border treaty between the U.S. and Canada during conversations with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, suggesting a willingness to disregard long-established international agreements.

This pattern of dismissive rhetoric, economic pressure, and questioning of treaties represents a concerning escalation that makes preparations for defending Canadian sovereignty increasingly relevant.

Resistance Scenario

Scenario: A hostile takeover by the Trump administration in Canada. To resist nonviolently yet effectively, Canadians can organize a grassroots campaign based on proven principles of civil resistance. This plan draws on Gene Sharp's strategies and historical examples of successful nonviolent movements. It is crucial to maintain discipline, unity, and creativity throughout. Studies show that nonviolent campaigns can succeed even against powerful regimes by withdrawing cooperation and undermining their "pillars of support". The following guide outlines key tactics:

Gene Sharp documented 198 methods of nonviolent action that have been used successfully throughout history

1. Civil Disobedience and Non-Cooperation

Peaceful defiance can stall the occupier's agenda and rally public support. Use civil disobedience to refuse compliance with illegitimate authority while staying nonviolent. Key methods include:

Peaceful Protests & Symbolic Acts

Organize mass demonstrations, marches, and vigils to publicly oppose the takeover. Large peaceful crowds signal unity and draw media attention. Example: Gandhi's Salt March saw Indians openly break an unjust salt law; British crackdowns on this peaceful march only garnered global sympathy for India's cause. Marches, sit-ins, and candlelight vigils create powerful images of defiance that can inspire others to join.

Gandhi leading the Salt March in 1930, a pivotal act of civil disobedience against British colonial rule

Non-Compliance with Unjust Laws

Deliberately refuse to obey policies or orders that entrench the takeover. For instance, ignore curfews, censorship rules, or loyalty oaths imposed by the hostile regime. Gene Sharp documented acts like civil disobedience of "illegitimate" laws as classic tactics of resistance. Public servants can quietly slow-walk or halt enforcement of new edicts. If ordered to implement controversial directives, find legal gray areas or bureaucratic delays to not cooperate. When thousands participate, it overloads the occupier's ability to punish everyone.

Strikes and Stay-aways

Organize work stoppages or "sick-outs" to paralyze government functions. A one-day nationwide strike can protest the takeover; periodic general strikes signal that society won't operate normally under occupation. Even simply staying home (a stay-at-home demonstration) on certain days is a form of mass non-cooperation that's hard to retaliate against. Historically, Polish citizens under communist rule used waves of strikes and slowdowns that forced the regime to negotiate. Coordinate with unions and workplaces to ensure critical mass. Note: Plan such strikes carefully to maintain essential services (hospitals, etc.) on a volunteer basis while withdrawing labor from occupier-controlled institutions.

Polish Solidarity movement strike in the Gdańsk Shipyard, 1980, which helped spark the movement that eventually led to Poland's freedom

Boycotts & Refusal of Services

Boycott compliance in daily life. Students can refuse to salute imposed flags or attend indoctrination classes; consumers stop buying products from companies that collaborate with the occupier. In Norway 1942, teachers heroically refused to teach Nazi propaganda to children and would not join the regime's teacher union – despite arrests and torture, 1,100 teachers stood firm and prevailed. Their non-cooperation forced the Nazis to back down on controlling education. This shows that sustained refusal by professionals (teachers, civil servants, etc.) can defeat oppressive policies.

Norwegian teachers during WWII who collectively refused to join the Nazi teachers' organization or teach Nazi curriculum

Real-World Tip: Train for discipline. Protesters should prepare to face hostility without retaliating. Nonviolent discipline is crucial – if even a few individuals resort to violence, the occupier will exploit that to justify a crackdown. Role-play scenarios of provocation so people learn to resist peacefully. By staying strictly nonviolent under pressure, the movement creates a "double-bind" for the occupier: if they don't repress the dissent, the resistance grows; if they do crack down violently on peaceful people, it backfires by eroding their legitimacy and increasing public sympathy for the resistance.

2. Economic Disruption

Undermine the financial and economic base of the occupying regime. A hostile takeover can be choked off by denying economic collaboration. Strategies for economic non-cooperation include:

Consumer Boycotts

Organize citizens to boycott goods and services that profit the occupier or its allies. Target products from U.S. companies supporting the Trump administration's control. Historical precedent: International boycotts of South African goods helped weaken apartheid by hitting the regime's economy. Similarly, Canadians can refuse to buy from businesses that comply with occupation directives. Publicize lists of "do not buy" companies. As more people participate, these businesses face pressure to oppose the occupation or risk collapse. Even small-scale boycotts hurt occupiers' legitimacy and show the population's resolve.

Countering Economic Coercion: Trump's 25% tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum demonstrate how economic pressure can precede political takeover attempts. A pre-emptive response could include promoting "Buy Canadian" campaigns that reduce dependence on U.S. imports while building economic resilience. These consumer movements could later evolve into full boycotts if needed.

Anti-apartheid boycott campaign poster from the 1980s showing how economic pressure helped end the apartheid regime

Strikes in Key Sectors

Use industrial strikes to disrupt critical economic activities. If safe to do so, coordinate with workers in transportation, energy, or finance to halt operations. For example, rail workers could refuse to transport equipment for the occupier, or truck drivers might "go slow" to snarl supply lines. The Solidarity movement in Poland (1980s) galvanized nationwide strikes that included shipyard workers, miners, and transit workers, bringing the communist regime to a standstill. In a Canadian context, a well-timed strike wave – even for 24-48 hours – sends a clear message that an imposed government cannot run the country effectively. Coordinate secretly to maximize simultaneous impact, and use rotating strikes to keep the occupier off-balance.

Financial Noncooperation

Deny the hostile administration funds. Refuse to pay new taxes, fines, or fees imposed by the occupiers (understand the personal risks, but mass nonpayment makes enforcement difficult). Encourage citizens to withdraw money from banks controlled by the regime and move assets to safe institutions (or cash/crypto) to prevent seizure. If the occupier tries to introduce a new currency or financial system, resist by keeping transactions in familiar or alternative forms (local credit systems, barter networks). The goal is to make economic exploitation unprofitable.

Supply Chain Disruption

Where possible, disrupt the occupier's supply lines without violence. This could mean blockading roads with crowds or vehicles, delaying shipments by civil disobedience (e.g. activists peacefully forming human chains to stop traffic), or covertly sabotaging equipment (only if it can be done safely without harm). For instance, during resistance to Belarus's dictatorship, the "Cyber Partisans" hacker group sabotaged railroad switches via cyberattack to delay troop and equipment movements. They carefully avoided causing accidents, seeking only to impede the military's logistics.

Encourage Sanctions & Divestment

Coordinate with international allies to push for economic sanctions against the illegitimate regime. If the Trump administration seizes Canada, lobby foreign governments, the UN, and global corporations to isolate the occupiers economically. Urge investors to divest from any ventures in occupied Canada. Though this is more of a political effort, grassroots voices (especially the Canadian diaspora abroad) can influence global economic responses. Economic isolation will strain the occupier's resources over time.

3. Media Influence and Information Warfare

Control the narrative to prevent the occupier from normalizing their rule. Use media—traditional and digital—to your advantage so the world and the local population hear the resistance message, not just the occupier's propaganda. Actions to take:

Underground Press & Broadcasts

If official media is taken over or censored, create a clandestine press. Publish underground newspapers, newsletters, and leaflets to provide uncensored news and counter the regime's lies. During WWII under Nazi occupation, civilians throughout Europe printed their own illegal newspapers to spread truth and keep morale up. These clandestine journals informed people of resistance efforts, helped coordinate actions, and "played a crucial role in informing and motivating resistance across the continent and building solidarity." Similarly, Canadians can organize secret printing of bulletins or set up pirate radio transmissions that broadcast truthful news and resistance messages.

Underground resistance newspapers being produced in secret during WWII to counter Nazi propaganda

Leverage Social Media (carefully)

If Internet access remains, flood social networks with the resistance narrative. Share photos and videos of peaceful protests, document any abuses by occupier forces, and use hashtags to unite messages. Rally support through Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and encrypted chat groups. However, assume occupiers are monitoring online activity – use secure accounts or pseudonyms for administrators of resistance pages. Coordinate "information cascades" where, at set times, everyone posts or trends a specific message (making it harder to censor all at once).

Engage International Media

Proactively reach out to foreign journalists, international news outlets, and human rights organizations. Provide them verified information, testimonies, and footage. Inviting global media to covertly cover protests can deter extreme repression (occupiers fear global backlash if their violence is televised). If direct access is cut off, use intermediaries: upload content to the cloud quickly before it's taken down, or have contacts abroad disseminate it. The world's opinion matters – occupiers lose morale and support if they are condemned globally.

International Treaty Defense: Given reports that Trump has questioned the validity of U.S.-Canada border treaties in conversations with Prime Minister Trudeau, international legal pressure becomes crucial. A resistance movement should document and publicize treaty violations to engage global diplomatic support. Establish networks with legal experts who can articulate Canada's rights under international law, and ensure these perspectives reach global media.

Counter-Propaganda & Myth-Busting

Actively debunk the occupier's propaganda among the population. If they claim they're "liberating" Canada or restoring order, continuously expose these lies through fact-checks and satire. Use simple, clear messaging for fellow citizens: e.g., "This is a takeover, not a rescue." When the narrative battle is won, people will be less likely to collaborate out of confusion or fear. The Belgian resistance famously even published a spoof edition of a Nazi-controlled newspaper to mock and discredit the occupier's propaganda. That kind of clever counter-propaganda sows doubt about anything the hostile regime says.

Utilize Symbols and Art

Control the narrative visually too. Choose a unifying symbol of resistance – a color (say, blue ribbons), a flag, a logo – and spread it everywhere (armbands, graffiti, posters). This creates a visible solidarity and identity that media can latch onto. Street art and murals can depict Canadian resilience and ridicule the occupiers. These artistic expressions often go viral online, boosting the morale of resisters and attracting cultural support.

Real Resistance Happening Now: We're already seeing how cultural symbols can galvanize resistance. In March 2025, Canadian comedy icon Mike Myers appeared on Saturday Night Live wearing a t-shirt reading "Canada is not for sale" and mouthed "elbows up" to the camera—a phrase rooted in hockey culture symbolizing self-defense and readiness to fight back. This simple gesture sparked a nationwide movement, with #ElbowsUp trending across social media and appearing at protests throughout Canada.

The phrase has particular resonance because it connects to hockey legend Gordie Howe's physical playing style, representing traditional Canadian values of standing firm when threatened. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew reinforced this sentiment, urging Canadians not to be treated as a "punching bag" in the face of U.S. tariffs and annexation rhetoric. What makes this example powerful is how a seemingly small cultural reference has united Canadians across political divides through shared cultural identity, demonstrating exactly how resistance symbols can work effectively.

Canadian protesters displaying "Elbows Up" signs and Canadian flags during demonstrations against threats to sovereignty, 2025

4. Digital Resistance and Cyber Tactics

In the digital age, resistance must also occur online. Protect your communications, organize securely, and if capable, fight in cyberspace to disrupt the occupier. Key elements of digital resistance:

Secure Communication

Immediately harden the movement's digital security. Use encrypted messaging apps (Signal, Wire, Telegram with proper settings) for coordination. Employ VPNs and anonymizing tools (Tor browser, etc.) to evade surveillance and censorship. Cybersecurity isn't optional – it is a "cornerstone for the safety and efficacy of online movements". Activists should enable two-factor authentication on accounts, use code names, and frequently purge sensitive messages.

Cyber Activism and Hacktivism

If the movement has tech-savvy members, consider offensive cyber tactics to impede the hostile administration. This is a gray area — illegal under normal law, but in context of resisting an illegal takeover, cyber sabotage can be a powerful nonviolent weapon. Coordinate with international hacktivist groups (like Anonymous) if possible. Potential actions: deface occupier government websites with protest messages; perform DDoS attacks on their propaganda outlets to knock them offline temporarily; hack and leak embarrassing emails or documents from the puppet authorities to expose wrongdoing.

Online Organizing & "Open-Source" Protest

Use digital tools to organize leaderlessly. In Hong Kong's 2019 protests, activists formed a decentralised "open-source" movement where Telegram chat groups and online forums with voting features were used to brainstorm and decide tactics collaboratively. Canadians can do the same: set up large encrypted channels for different regions or affinity groups (e.g., healthcare workers, students, etc.). Use polling bots to vote on protest locations or strategies – this inclusion builds buy-in and agility.

Preserve Evidence & Counter Censorship

Assume the occupier will try to blackout communications during key events. Have teams dedicated to recording evidence (photos, videos) of any crackdowns or illegitimate acts. Immediately upload data to multiple online locations or share with trusted contacts abroad, so the information survives even if devices are seized. Use decentralized file-sharing (Torrents, IPFS) to distribute banned information and keep the truth alive online.

5. Gray-Area Tactics (Unconventional & Creative)

These are unconventional, borderline-legal actions that stay nonviolent but can throw the occupier off balance. They rely on creativity, humor, and surprise, exploiting the regime's rigidity. Some gray-area tactics to employ:

Dilemma Actions

Design protests that put the authorities in a no-win situation. A classic example is Serbia's youth movement Otpor!: they once placed a barrel painted with dictator Milosevic's face on the street, with a bat to hit it for a donation. Crowds cheerfully lined up to smash the "Milosevic piñata." This prank forced police into an awkward choice – if they ignored it, the dictator was literally being beaten by the people; if they intervened, they'd look ridiculous "arresting a barrel."

Otpor! movement in Serbia using creative tactics like the "Milosevic barrel" to ridicule the regime in 2000

Guerrilla Theater and Artivism

Engage in flash mobs, street theater, or cultural performances that lampoon the new regime. Creative flash mob examples: a sudden freeze mob in a shopping center where everyone simultaneously turns their back when a portrait of Trump is unveiled – a silent rebuke that's not explicitly illegal. Or perform a short skit in a public place showing an absurd "swearing-in" of a puppet leader, then dispersing.

Symbolic Noncompliance

Encourage subtle acts that bend the rules in visible ways. For example, if wearing certain colors or symbols is banned, organize people to do it en masse briefly – a flash of prohibited color that disappears before arrests can be made. Another grey tactic: if an occupier official is giving a speech, coordinate a group to turn their backs or slow-clap in unison, then disperse – a public show of disrespect that's not outright illegal assembly.

Parallel Institutions

Start providing services through citizen-run networks to bypass occupier institutions. Set up free schools, clinics, or local committees that operate independently. For example, organize community watch groups for security instead of relying on the occupier's police. This undermines the occupier's claim that you need them for society to function.

Ostracism of Collaborators

Without using violence or threats, socially shun and isolate known collaborators. This is a psychological grey tactic – not illegal, but powerful. Neighbors can pointedly ignore or avoid businesses and individuals that choose to work for the occupier. No greetings, no service, no social invitations. Make collaboration socially toxic.

6. Lessons from Historical Movements

Take heart and learn from successful nonviolent resistance movements worldwide. History provides both inspiration and practical lessons on how civilians can beat powerful oppressors without firing a shot:

Indian Independence (1930s–40s)

Mahatma Gandhi led massive civil disobedience campaigns against British colonial rule. Tactics included the Salt March, boycotts of British goods, and refusal to cooperate with British institutions. When peaceful protestors were met with violence, it only increased international support for India's cause. Lesson: Moral high ground and mass participation can wear down an empire.

American Civil Rights Movement (1955–60s)

African Americans resisted segregation through bus boycotts, sit-ins at whites-only counters, freedom rides, and peaceful marches. The Montgomery Bus Boycott lasted 13 months with black citizens walking or carpooling rather than riding segregated buses, costing the transit system large revenues. Eventually the Supreme Court struck down bus segregation.

African Americans walking instead of riding buses during the Montgomery Bus Boycott, 1955-1956

Poland's Solidarity (1980s)

Under communist rule, Polish workers and citizens formed an independent trade union (Solidarity) which evolved into a broad social movement. They used tactics like factory strikes, shipyard occupations, underground newspapers, clandestine radio broadcasts, and a network of over 400 underground publications distributing millions of copies. Despite martial law and crackdowns, the movement persisted, and by 1989 the regime agreed to free elections.

South African Anti-Apartheid (1980s–94)

In addition to internal protests and strikes, the anti-apartheid struggle was boosted by international economic sanctions and boycotts. Decades of nonviolent protests by black South Africans (and some allies) – from the Defiance Campaign in the 1950s to the mass boycotts in the 80s – coupled with global isolation, made apartheid untenable.

The "3.5% Rule"

Political scientist Erica Chenoweth's research on 20th-century conflicts found that no government can withstand a sustained campaign of civil resistance once ~3.5% of the population actively engages. For Canada (~38 million people), that's about 1.3 million active resisters – a feasible number for a motivated population.

7. Grassroots Mobilization and Organization

A successful resistance is built on ordinary people organizing everywhere – in every town, neighborhood, and social group. Focus on building a grassroots network that is decentralized but coordinated:

Form Local Resistance Cells

Start with trusted friends, family, or colleagues and form small groups (5-10 people) committed to the cause. These cells operate somewhat independently – planning local actions (postering, local boycotts, neighborhood watch) – but also connect with the wider movement. Decentralized cell structure means even if leaders are arrested, the network survives.

Build Communication Networks

Establish reliable ways to share information and instructions across the movement. Locally, set up phone trees or SMS broadcast systems so each cell can get news out quickly (e.g., "protest tomorrow 5 PM at town hall"). Regionally or nationally, use encrypted apps or clandestine radio to link the cells.

Local Self-Organization

Encourage communities to start solving daily problems on their own, without the occupier. For example, if the occupier neglects garbage pickup in dissenting areas, organize volunteer trash collection. Set up community kitchens if supply lines falter. These acts show that "we can govern ourselves."

Train and Educate

Conduct workshops (secretly in person, or via secure video chats) on nonviolent tactics, first aid, digital security, and how to handle arrests or interrogations. Knowledge is empowering – if people know their legal rights (to the extent they still exist) and have a plan for what to do if detained, they are less afraid.

Network Building and Solidarity

Link up different segments of society. Have liaisons that connect student groups with labor unions, or farmers with urban activists, so that actions can be mutually supportive. For example, if truckers strike, urban volunteer networks ensure food still gets to people.

8. Psychological Warfare (Morale and Legitimacy)

A hostile occupier's power is not just military – it's psychological. Undermine their will to rule and sense of legitimacy using nonviolent psychological tactics.

Delegitimize the Occupation

Continuously reinforce the idea that the takeover is illegitimate, humiliating, and unsustainable. Use all channels (media, graffiti, word-of-mouth) to brand the occupiers as usurpers who have no rightful authority.

Backfire and Overreach

Prompt the occupiers into missteps that alienate people. When resistance remains peaceful and dignified, any violent overreaction by forces will backfire. Images of troops tear-gassing seniors at a sit-in or arresting children at a rally will horrify onlookers and erode the occupier's morale.

Appeal to the Troops' Conscience

Many occupying soldiers or officials might be young, scared, or unsure about the mission. Quietly exploit this. For example, have locals (especially veterans, religious leaders, or mothers) attempt respectful conversations with soldiers: "Do you really want to be doing this?"

Ridicule and Humiliate the Oppressor

Humor is potent. Ridicule deflates authoritarian pomposity. Use memes, jokes, cartoons, and public mockeries to portray leaders and officials as clownish or incompetent. This not only rallies the public through laughter (a powerful antidote to fear), but it also strikes at the pride and morale of the occupiers.

Psychological Endurance

Project unshakable confidence that the resistance will eventually win. Occupations often rely on wearing down the populace's will. Don't give them that satisfaction. Through community support and sheer stubborn optimism, show that every act of repression only strengthens resolve.

Conclusion

This action plan outlines a multi-faceted, nonviolent resistance strategy. Civil disobedience and economic non-cooperation will disrupt the hostile administration's control. A savvy media campaign and secure digital coordination will keep the truth alive and the movement connected. Creative gray-area tactics and historical wisdom (à la Gene Sharp) guide us in outsmarting the occupier.

Robust grassroots organizing ensures the resistance is everywhere and can't be decapitated. And by waging psychological warfare through unity, humor, and moral pressure, the population can erode the occupier's will to rule. Every citizen – young or old, urban or rural – can contribute in some way, from refusing orders, to hiding a protester, to simply keeping hope alive.

While this scenario may seem hypothetical, the documented rhetoric dismissing Canada as "not a real country," the imposition of punitive tariffs, and the questioning of established border treaties represent real precursors to sovereignty threats. History shows that preparation is key—many occupied nations throughout history only recognized the danger when it was too late to organize effectively.

As Trump himself stated, annexation would supposedly benefit Canadians by "eliminating tariffs and providing military protection"—classic imperial reasoning that promises protection while removing self-determination. By understanding effective resistance strategies before they're needed, Canadians can ensure that any attempt to undermine their sovereignty meets widespread, disciplined, and ultimately successful civilian opposition.

The spontaneous emergence of the "Elbows Up" movement following Mike Myers' SNL appearance demonstrates that Canadians are already intuitively embracing key resistance principles: using cultural symbols, employing humour, creating solidarity, and engaging in peaceful defiance. What began as a comedic gesture has evolved into a powerful unifying symbol, showing that the seeds of effective resistance already exist within Canadian society. Now these intuitive responses need to be organized, expanded, and coupled with the strategic approaches outlined above.

Peaceful protesters facing military forces during the People Power Revolution in the Philippines, 1986 - a successful nonviolent movement

The ultimate goal is to make the occupation ungovernable and untenable. If done with courage and discipline, this nonviolent struggle can force even a powerful adversary to retreat. As Gene Sharp's research and numerous real-world cases show, people power can prevail even against a militarily superior foe. The key is sustained, organized, and peaceful defiance.