Community connection celebrated at Elbows Up event

By JAMES TUBB on May 6, 2025.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

On the first sunny, summer day in Medicine Hat, more than 100 patriotic residents celebrated Canada, and each other, at Riverside Veterans’ Memorial Park.

Saturday’s ‘Elbows Up’ event saw residents come to the park to listen to speakers, live music and enjoy re-connecting with one another in the face of growing uncertainty with the geopolitical landscape.

“Elbows Up Canada is a family friendly, non partisan gathering celebrating Canada’s strength,” MC Trevor Moore told the crowd. “This is a moment to unite, stand tall and make our voices heard. We’re gathered to send a clear message, Canada is strong, independent and not for sale.”

Attendees heard from a handful of speakers featuring Mayor Linnsie Clark, Medicine Hat Tigers head coach Willie Desjardins, Jim Langstrom, Elder Charlie Fox, Malcolm Sissons, Yusuf Mohammed and more.

Clark spoke on the importance of balancing kindness and respectfulness when moments of frustration arise between governments. She also touched on embracing the diversity of Canada while also acknowledging the responsibility of being able to speak diversely.

“One of the things about humans is our rotund, squishy, wrinkly (brain) and I think that we should use those more often, there’s a lot of narratives out there,” Clark said. “You can pick one if you want but you don’t have to. You can come up with what you feel is right in the situation and not just get into whatever narratives are being fed to us.”

The term “Elbows Up” has taken on specific meaning, but the movement is strongly non-partisan, seeking to bring Canadians together to affirm “Canada’s strength, unity and resilience,” as well as sovereignty, according to the movement’s website.

Desjardins coached the Canadian Olympic Men’s hockey team during the 2018 Games in South Korea and coached at the 2010 World Junior Championship, as well as Spengler Cup in 2017.

He shared his pride for being Canadian and seeing how the country can pull together as one, whether on an Olympic team or in the community. Desjardins shared a story about his time coaching in Japan where he had his team push a bus up a hill.

The team learned the top line couldn’t do it themselves, they needed everyone. They then learned it was even harder to get the bus rolling, again needing the group to maintain momentum. The final lesson was that detractors – in that story it was a group pulling the other way with a rope – and progress can’t be made.

“That’s one of our problems, we all have to be on the same page, we all have to work together and make things work,” Desjardins said.

He also asked the crowd how they can repay Canada’s veterans, relating to his father who fought in the Second World War with the South Alberta Regiment. Desjardins says repayment comes from taking pride and working together as a diverse family.

“What families do is take care of each other, and that’s what I believe you try to do, you try to take care of each other, you try to make good things happen,” Desjardins said.

The event was organized by former MLA Bob Wanner, Stan and Susan Sakamoto, as well as Betty Aitken, who was pleased with the turnout and reception they received.

“It was such a beautiful weather day and things just ran really smoothly,” Aitken told the News. “We had exceptional speakers, some really good music.”

Aitken hopes attendees, and others who learn about the movement from afar, embrace the idea of re-connecting with one another and creating community within the neighbourhoods, cities and country we call home.

“There are a few neighbourhood associations in the city, so just getting together and doing block parties, talking to your neighbour, having barbecues, there’s a lot we can do,” Aitken said. “Especially now the weather is good, we can get outside. There’s lots of potential, building bridges and building community.”

Yusef Mohammed is a member of Alberta’s anti racism advisory council and is the founder of the Lantern Global Company, a consultant firm that helps organizations design and implement inter cultural strategies to support diverse, welcoming and inclusive workplaces.

He has travelled to more than 30 countries, and he still remembers the kindness he received when he first came to Canada and moved to Medicine Hat more than 20 years ago. He hopes with a changing world, and division locally and globally, that Canadians never forget what makes this country what it is.

“As we celebrate Canada, as we lift up Canada, remember who we really are, to remember the foundations and the history that we found in this nation of hospitality, of love, of care for one another,” Mohammed said. “Do not ever lose sight of it, because that’s what makes us true Canadians. If people greet you with animosity, greet them with curiosity, open mindedness and respect.”

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