Say NO to 51st STATE! Stand Against Oppression

U.S. President Donald Trump has recently made several offensive remarks about Canada, claiming that Canada is the 51st state of the United States, revealing an obvious annexationist ambition. In response to this bullying from its southern neighbor, Canadians of all ages, including Indigenous people and Asian immigrants, organized a rally on Sunday under the theme "Reject Becoming the 51st U.S. State, Support Canadian Sovereignty." Courageously, they stood up and said "No" to Trump.

The rally began with an 11-year-old Indigenous child, Riley Leo, reading a land acknowledgment statement, followed by the singing of the Canadian national anthem.

Jenny Kwan, a Member of Parliament for Vancouver, then delivered a speech. She stated that ever since Trump declared, "Canada should become the 51st U.S. state" and announced a 25% tariff on Canadian goods, she had made a firm decision not to set foot in the U.S. for the remainder of Trump's presidency and to buy only Canadian products. She emphasized, "Canada has zero tolerance for authoritarianism, bullying, anti-democratic, and anti-freedom actions on the international stage. This is our core belief, and no matter which country’s government we are dealing with, Canada will not waver."

Bonita Zarillo, Member of Parliament for Coquitlam, stated that Canadians are generally peaceful but never weak. She firmly told Americans, "We used to be the best allies, but now, your leader has ruined our friendship. This is not the choice we wanted, but we will not bow down."

A special guest at the rally was Ago Pedalizo, head of the Filipino American Human Rights Alliance (FAHRA). After living in the United States for 24 years, he returned to Canada last month. He shared, "I worked in human rights in the U.S. for over 20 years, never imagining that I would ultimately be defeated by the very country I once relied on and was proud of. When Trump was elected, I knew the U.S. had changed, and it was time for me to leave. Now that I am back in Canada, I will continue my human rights work, including standing against U.S. bullying."

Edmond Leung, Chairman of the Vancouver Society in Support of Democratic Movement (VSSDM), became visibly emotional during his speech. Choking up, he declared, "We will fight for Canada and never compromise!"

Other speakers included Leonora Angeles, an associate professor at the University of British Columbia specializing in race, gender, and social justice, and Treenee Lopez, President of the Global Pinoy Diaspora Canada.

The rally was jointly organized by the Vancouver Society in Support of Democratic Movement (VSSDM) and Global Pinoy Diaspora Canada (GPDC). It was co-hosted by former VSSDM Chair Mabel Tung and Treenee Lopez. The event was attended by over 100 people.