Rally held at Canadian Border to convey positive message to northern neighbors

On Saturday, July 5, a group of individuals from Minnesota’s North Shore marched from the Grand Portage State Park wayside rest to a designated location at the Pigeon River Port of Entry at the Canadian border. 

The organized rally event, called Elbows UP!, was organized by Arrowhead Indivisible and held in conjunction with a national effort along the United States-Canada border.

The intent of the event, according to the press release, was to “come together in a peaceful and purposeful celebration of the shared friendship between the United States and Canada.” 

The event involved speakers, songs, and a time for participants to share stories of friendship with Canadian neighbors.

Minnesota Group rallies at Canadian Border | Photo by M Baxley

WTIP spoke with two Cook County organizers during the event, Barbara Gabler and Pat Campanaro. Gabler said there were at least 22 groups that held rallies on July 5 with the goal of “celebrating our friendship with Canada.”

Campanaro expressed the desire to “be sure the Canadians understand that there are those of us out here who still consider them friends, who do not want to annex them as the 51st state, and want to suggest they continue coming to the U.S., and we will continue going to Canada.”

Gabler said she has “heard from businesses that have been hurt and continue to be hurt by the effects of the tariffs.”

When organizers opened the mic for a time of sharing stories, one person in attendance shared that pickleball is “the basis of my personal relation with 30 or 40 people in Thunder Bay,” citing multiple tournaments that draw Canadians for sport and social connection. “They come down here for good food and all kinds of other wonderful things in our community. So, that’s pickleball and that’s Thunder Bay,” a rally attendee said. 

Another attendee shared a personal experience about the Grand Marais Recreation Park campground, “On Canada Day, there was a bunch of Canadians (staying) in the park, and many, many people from Grand Marais came by and said, ‘Happy Canada Day.’ And they said they had never seen so many people do that. So we have a great relationship right there.”

After organizers and attendees spoke, the rally ended with a sing-along of the anthem, “Won’t you be my neighbor.”

M Baxley July 10, 2025