Canadians have been sharing their views online about retail chain Canadian Tire after comedian and actor Mike Myers appeared on Saturday Night Live (SNL) wearing the store’s T-shirt, sparking some hot takes.
On Saturday, Myers made his second appearance of the year on SNL. Wearing a T-shirt with a stamped Canadian Tire logo, the actor again made a gesture to show support to Canada amid the trade war by pointing his elbow towards the ceiling.
Thank you, Jack Black, Elton John, Brandi Carlile, and Mike Myers! Goodnight! pic.twitter.com/9JY27cxFdH
— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) April 6, 2025
The gesture again sparked comments from Canadians about national pride and support for the country amid the trade war launched since the U.S. President Donald Trump imposed 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods and the auto industry, and made comments about Canada joining America as its 51st state.
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“Thank you so much Mike Myers! You make me even prouder – if possible – to be Canadian 💋🇨🇦💪🏻,” a user wrote on X.
“Nice of Mike Myers to be wearing a @CanadianTire T-shirt.🙂🇨🇦,” another user said.
“Canadian Tire and Elbows Up.. !! Mike Myers .!!🇨🇦,” a different user chimed in.
Last month, Myers appeared on SNL and made the “elbows up” gesture while wearing a “Canada is not for sale” shirt, which led to thousands of supportive comments online with the hashtag ElbowsUpCanada.
Since then, the term “elbows up” has been used by Canadians to show support for the country in light of the trade war as a symbol of resilience.
“Elbows up” is a reference to hockey legend Gordie Howe’s famous strategy of using his elbows as a weapon to fight for the puck, which led him to become known as Mr. Elbows.
Myers’ latest appearance on the show sparked discussion about Canadian Tire with users sharing some hot takes about the retail company.
Canadian YouTube influencer J.J. McCullough shared a post criticizing Myers’ gesture saying that the retail franchiser does not symbolize Canadian pride.
“You can tell he’s out of touch with his former country if he thinks embracing a retail chain literally rated ‘Canada’s worst store’ will prove his patriotic bona fides,” he said.
McCullough’s take generated hundreds of discussions with some Canadians defending Canadian Tire and some even saying the retail store is an alternative to similar American franchises.
“Dude, Canada loves Canadian Tire. I have no idea what you’re talking about. Heck, their jump start program helps thousands of kids play sports they normally couldn’t afford,” a user commented in response to the influencer.
“That’s a mighty odd comment to make. Canadian Tire is a cornerstone of Canadian retail. It’s kind of iconic! Tim Hortons sold out to the States but Crappy Tire stayed true to its roots. A perfect tribute to our country,” another user added.
“True. So who said itI was the ‘worst store?’ THIS young man better get his facts straight. We use crappy Tire bcz the store has everything you need. Every possible thing you could think of might be there. Canadian Tire is a true tribute to us! 🍁” another user weighed in.
The influencer’s post was also flagged for added context on X, with users adding links to published rankings and polls that suggest Canadian Tire is a successful company beloved by many Canadians.
On the other hand, some Canadians shared similar opinions to McCullough’s, mainly criticizing Canadian Tire for selling products that are not made locally, including Canadian flags.
“Love the way Canadian Tire shows their Canadian pride by selling Canadian flags made in China. Really? They couldn’t find a manufacturer in Canada. #canadiantire,” an X user said.
“Canadian Tire has nothing Canadian about it other than the name, the store is filled with items from other countries. They don’t even sell a Canadian Flag made in Canada. Guess where it’s made, China,” a different user also commented.
