Elbows Up: Mike Myers on the T-shirt that ignited a movement

Paul Hunter · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 01, 2025 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

For each successful Canada who happened to beryllium watching Saturday Night Live, that March nighttime was an unforgettable moment.

Mike Myers, the one-time SNLer who'd performed successful the opening skit arsenic a chainsaw-wielding Elon Musk, stood onstage with the remainder of the formed astatine the extremity of the amusement arsenic they each waved goodnight.

Then helium did it.

As millions watched, the Toronto-born Myers opened his overgarment to uncover a achromatic T-shirt underneath bearing that red-and-white maple leafage emblem and the operation "CANADA IS NOT FOR SALE."

He past flexed his limb successful the air, pointed astatine it and mouthed the words "elbows up," an old-time hockey word meant to signify punishing one's opponent. It happened arsenic U.S. President Donald Trump's antagonistic threats to annex Canada were reaching their apex.

"It was just, 'Leave america alone,'" Myers told CBC News, explaining the shirt. "We emotion Americans. But we tin emotion Americans and not privation to beryllium Americans, you cognize what I mean?"

WATCH | Replay the SNL infinitesimal Myers enactment his elbows up: 

Myers, who holds aggregate citizenships — Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. — has ne'er been shy astir his emotion of his commencement country. Trump's rhetoric connected Canada angered him capable that helium looked astir for a T-shirt, recovered 1 connected Amazon and wore it to the amusement that night. 

The connection was Myers's salute to everyone watching backmost home. Revealing it connected unrecorded tv was a spur-of-the-moment decision, helium tells CBC News successful his archetypal on-camera interrogation astir that night. He says helium had nary thought it would drawback occurrence — fto unsocial spark a question of Canadian patriotism not seen successful decades.

'It's not astir me'

The histrion has popularized galore phrases before, though much comedic successful nature, done assorted characters connected SNL, past aboriginal successful Hollywood blockbusters specified arsenic Wayne's World and Austin Powers. But present helium had abruptly — and inadvertently, but with a benignant of patriotic fervour — created a forceful governmental slogan.

"Elbows up" became an instant catchphrase passim Canada, sprawled connected T-shirts, shot caps, java cups, bumper stickers, adjacent cocoa bars, underlining arsenic overmuch arsenic thing else, an attitude.

WATCH | What prompted him to show his T-shirt slogan connected TV: 

To this day, Myers emphasizes it's that cognition that matters. "It's not astir me," helium insists. To him, it's much astir Canada and Canadians — and the imperative to talk out, basal up and propulsion back.

And erstwhile Myers woke up the greeting aft that quality connected SNL, helium was oblivious to immoderate of the fallout from what he'd done. He got a telephone telephone from 1 of his brothers who told him, successful effect, 'You'll ne'er judge what's happened."

A pro-Canada message

After that archetypal moment on SNL, much would follow. A consequent quality brought different T-shirt, this 1 bearing the logo of Canadian Tire, which, says Myers, was meant to awesome "Buy Canadian," astatine a clip Trump was threatening tariffs connected Canadian goods going into the U.S.

Then came that advertisement for Mark Carney during the national predetermination campaign, with the premier curate and Myers acting arsenic hockey dads watching a crippled rinkside and Myers wearing a jersey with "Never 51" emblazoned connected his back.

WATCH | How helium learned the SNL clip went viral: 

Political messaging whitethorn beryllium a caller way for Myers, but contempt his having present lived successful the U.S. for galore years, with an American woman and American children, helium has ne'er shied from his roots nor his content successful each things Canadian.

The U.S., helium says, is simply wherever his livelihood — the amusement manufacture — has taken him.

He's agelong demonstrated that his bosom has ever remained northbound of the 49th. His 2016 book, Canada, is broadly described arsenic a emotion missive to his location country.

"[It's] a kind, truth-speaking nation," said Myers. "There's a sanity, a reasonableness; there's a grown-upness that is unsocial to this country."

WATCH | On what increasing up successful Canada gave him: 

Indeed, he's adamant that his messaging connected it present is neither anti-American nor adjacent anti-Trump, but alternatively pro-Canada.

"I similar our vibe, I similar who we are."

It's besides wide he's somewhat humbled by the detonation of the elbows up movement, downplaying attempts to springiness him excessively overmuch recognition for igniting specified patriotism among his chap Canadians.

To those who've said "Canada needs much Mike Myers," helium responds simply: "I'm thing without Canada."

Still, his made-in-Canada passionateness has seldom been arsenic forceful arsenic it is now, driven by Trump's continued speech of it becoming the 51st state.

A much affirmative focus

On his mode location from the G7 acme successful Kananaskis, Alta., connected June 17, Trump met with reporters and was again asked astir Canada and his thoughts connected it becoming the 51st state.

"It's a overmuch amended woody for them," helium said onboard Air Force 1 arsenic it flew backmost to Washington.

WATCH | Why helium thinks Canada volition ne'er articulation the U.S.  

Myers begs to differ. 

And amid each the governmental division, helium points to a affirmative which, for him, has go the focus.

"I person to say, this procreation of Canadians is truthful inspiring to me. They cognize what they have. They don't privation to suffer it."