Canada places 200% tariff on little Canadian flags Americans wear while travelling - #TheBeaverton https://www.thebeaverton.com/2025/03/canada-places-200-tariff-on-little-canadian-flags-americans-wear-while-travelling/ “The 200% counter-tariff are expected to severely impact US citizens’ ability to pass as Canadians while visiting other countries. This will limit Americans’ chances to enjoy the benefits of being welcomed as Canadians, while not getting shunned for being obnoxious yanks. (1/2)
“Passing as Canadians while travelling is the cornerstone of America’s international relations strategy,” explains Sheila Grubnick, chair of the US Foreign Relations Council. “From stoned Iowa undergrads buying weed in Amsterdam, to Marco Rubio trying to keep his luggage from getting spit on by Dutch baggage handlers, #Canadianflag patches are necessary for us to fly literally anywhere.” (2/2)
@auscandoc I've never pretended to be a Canadian, but I have pretended to be German to avoid interacting with American tourists. #TrueConfession
@auscandoc I use these, myself. It has the virtue of being honest. The California flag isn't as familiar in foreign countries as the Canadian one, but luckily it says "California" in text, which makes it pretty obvious. It has much the same effect, basically announcing "hey, I didn't vote for the guy."
@auscandoc False flag operation.
@auscandoc No joke, I recall traveling in France in the 1980s and feeling the need to apologize, in my shakey French, to my hosts for my country having elected Reagan, and assuring them I sure as heck didn't vote for him.
@auscandoc I have identified as Canadian since the first time I heard Great Big Sea and Moxy Fruvus, back in the late 1990s. Only wishing I could make it a reality. I do have obligations that keep me here, or I would attempt to immigrate to Canada in a heartbeat.
@auscandoc @paul_ipv6 This is amateur-hour stuff.
You try to get Europeans to mistake you for Canadian by putting a Canadian flag on your backpack.
We accidentally get Europeans assuming we're Canadian by being polite tourists (and having Minnesota accents).
We are not the same.
(Honestly, though: once you start talking, I suspect that they can tell.)