In a new interview with WNST and Baltimore Positive founder Nestor Aparicio, guitarist/vocalist Rik Emmett of legendary Canadian rockers TRIUMPH was asked when fans can expect to see him performing again at Rams Head Tavern in Annapolis, Maryland. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “You know what?! I tell you this: of all the places that I would maybe go, that was always a great place to play. I loved that venue, loved just the feel of it. It was a nice place to play. And there’s videos on YouTube you can find of moments at the Rams Head. I still have a t-shirt somewhere, a Rams Head t-shirt.
“But honestly, and not to end on a down note, but because of all of the B.S. that’s going on now between America and Canada, and the guy that you guys decided to elect as president,” referring to U.S. president Donald Trump.
Aparicio then flashed his “Canada” red visor hat and noted that he wasn’t one of the 77 million people in the U.S. who voted for Trump (49.8% of the popular vote, compared to 75 million who voted for Kamala Harris, or 48.3% of the popular vote). He also expressed his concern that he may not be welcomed if he tries to cross the border and enter Canada, to which Emmett said: “Wear that hat, buddy — just make sure you’re wearing that hat — because there are gonna be people that are walking around out… Like [comedian] Mike Myers on ‘Saturday Night Live’ was talking about ‘elbows up’ [as a rallying cry among Canadians in response to President Donald Trump‘s recent threats against the essential ally], like [Canadian hockey legend] Gordie Howe, we’re gonna be defensive now.”
Rik continued: “The Republicans in your country are offensive people, and they’re being offensive to the rest of the world.
“I love the fact that there are Americans that don’t agree with that, but we are gonna be defensive. And yes, your [Baltimore] Orioles [baseball team are gonna get a little bit of that [when they play the Toronto Blue Jays this week]. They might hear some booing of your national anthem and stuff.
“It’s not that I don’t love what America stands for,” Rik clarified. “The greatest part of my career happened because of the support of Americans. They’re still the largest amount of fans that I have. But whatever happened to the America of Lady Liberty? Whatever happened to the America that had an open mind and an open heart and open arms? Like, come on! That’s a thing that’s — it’s gone now, and it’s something to regret. So I’m just telling you, if somebody’s got their elbows up, you just have to go, ‘Yeah. Okay. I’m sorry.’ Wear a little maple leaf over your heart. You’ll be fine. [Laughs]”
On March 4 and on the eve of his joint address to Congress, President Trump started a trade war, hiking tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada and China, the United States’ three biggest trading partners. Trump‘s tariffs, along with fears of an economic downturn, drove a stock market sell-off that has wiped billions from Americans’ retirement accounts.
Tariffs are not paid by countries, but importers — in this case, U.S. companies — that buy products from businesses in the targeted countries.
Trump‘s trade tariffs are set to make everyday goods that are imported from across the border more expensive for consumers.
A new CNN/SSRS poll Wednesday showed 56% of Americans now disapprove of Trump‘s handling of the economy — his worst rating on this issue of his entire White House career.
On Wednesday, Canada announced new retaliatory trade duties on some $21 billion worth of U.S. goods, a response to Trump implementing universal steel and aluminum tariffs.
In a news conference announcing the retaliatory duties, a Canadian government spokesman called Trump‘s tariffs “completely unjustified, unfair and unreasonable.”
“The U.S. administration is once again inserting disruption and disorder into an incredibly successful trading partnership and raising the costs of everyday goods for Canadians and American households alike,” said François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s minister of innovation, science and industry.
Last month, Reuters reported that Canadians have canceled trips south of the border, boycotted U.S. alcohol and other products and even booed at sporting events after Trump announced 25% tariffs on most of Canada’s goods.
Trump has also repeatedly expressed his desire to annex Canada, saying that it only makes “sense” for Canada to become another American state to make tariffs disappear, to reduce taxes and secure its military defense.
Source: blabbermouth.net
