In recent years, the phrase “elbows up” has surfaced as a symbolic rallying cry in Canadian protest movements, especially those resisting the influence of the United States on Canadian sovereignty, resources, and Indigenous land rights. While deceptively simple, “elbows up” carries layered cultural, political, and physical meanings rooted in defense, unity, and resistance.

At its core, “elbows up” signifies readiness—a defensive posture against intrusion, often used when people form a physical or metaphorical line. Drawing from everyday body language, it evokes the act of bracing oneself, squaring up, and asserting space. In protests, it can mean literally standing shoulder-to-shoulder or figuratively preparing for a confrontation with state or foreign power.

For Indigenous groups and environmental activists in Canada, especially those resisting pipelines or encroachment on unceded land, “elbows up” functions as a coded call to solidarity. It rejects passivity and underscores a non-violent, but firm, refusal to be displaced (Klein, 2019; Palmater, 2020).

The term also finds resonance in Canadian cultural lexicon, especially in hockey. In that arena, “elbows up” implies toughness and readiness to take or deliver a hit. That familiarity translates into protest culture as a way to say: we won’t be bullied, and we won’t back down.

This phrase has been particularly visible during demonstrations against U.S.-backed corporate extraction in Alberta and in urban protests against cross-border law enforcement cooperation. It encapsulates a uniquely Canadian form of resistance—quiet, strong, collective, and immovable.

When protesters chant “elbows up,” they’re not just taking a stand—they’re locking in with the person next to them and daring anyone to push through.

References
Klein, N. (2019). On Fire: The Burning Case for a Green New Deal. Simon & Schuster.
Palmater, P. (2020). Warrior Life: Indigenous Resistance and Resurgence. Fernwood Publishing.