The CBC segment, reported by Liam Britton, covers a weekend solidarity event on Vancouver Island sparked by a viral invitation from Tod Maffin, a digital marketer and former CBC host. Amid rising Canada‑U.S. trade and annexation rhetoric, hundreds of Americans traveled to Nanaimo to show support for Canada. Participants expressed diverse motivations: economic support (buying poutine and Nanaimo bars), appreciation for LGBTQ‑friendly environments, desire for safer healthcare work conditions, apologies for the Trump administration’s stance toward Canada, and personal concerns about deportation and future prospects. The city’s tourism sector and mayor welcomed the visitors, highlighting the economic boost and the symbolic family‑photo moment organized by Maffin. The segment juxtaposes the “family‑reunion” narrative with underlying political tensions, illustrating how grassroots cross‑border solidarity can manifest in cultural exchange and economic activity.
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With trade tensions growing between Canada and the United States, hundreds of people from both sides of the 49th parallel came together on Vancouver Island this weekend in a show of solidarity. It comes after a Nanaimo man's invite to Americans went viral. Liam Britton reports.
One heck of a family photo. For people of two countries often called siblings. But Canada and the United States are a family in crisis.
Canada was meant to be the 51st state.
Like many Canadians, the annexation rhetoric had Tod Maffin, a digital marketer and former CBC host, incensed. And so he called for a family reunion.
What if we picked a day in like a month and a half or so where all of you come up here to Vancouver Island.
Hundreds said yes, and this weekend they arrived. Like these friends from Washington, fed up with how their president has treated northern neighbours.
It's like watching a train wreck, you know, like, where— when is this going to end? When does this stop?
This is their first ever visit to Canada, to a city they didn't even know existed.
So I've heard of Nanaimo Bars before.
They wanted to support Canada economically, purchasing poutine, Canadian snacks,— and Naimo bars. White Sails Brewing hosted a pub night with a focus on LGBTQ visitors, like this couple from North and South Carolina.
We just wanted the Canadians to know that the rest, the majority of us love Canada and we're not jerks and please don't turn your backs on us. Wait out the orange Cheeto.
Yeah. Visitors like them were a strong contingent at a welcome event thrown together by the city and local tourism sector. These Texas nurses felt Canada was a safer place to be than home.
I could actually hold her hand and not be afraid, um, and it's so accepted here, and it's, it's a beautiful thing that you don't always see in America.
They're thinking of moving to B.C., a province in dire need of healthcare workers. Others are considering Canada for different reasons.
I have friends who are terrified of being deported.
Like this teen thinking about leaving the U.S. for college.
It's just terrifying watching this all happen, especially being the next generation, the ones who are supposed to take over. Are we going to have anything to take over?
We have just been devastated and embarrassed, and it's just horrible.
Two others were on a literal apology tour for how Trump has treated Canada.
And we came here to say we're sorry and to help support the economy. Yeah, money.
Something Maffin heard plenty of.
When I did that video that went viral, a lot of the people in the comments were saying like, we want to do more than just posting on Facebook, so how can we help? And as you can see, they're here and doing that.
Maffin and Nanaimo's mayor believe hundreds came up from the U.S.
This is about discovery for many people, and they have discovered Nanaimo. That's been apparent for the last few years, and this will boost that even more and significantly. The weekend's highlight was Maffin's family photo.
