Elbows up! That’s a popular Canadian response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs and trade war on Canada and to his threats of turning the country into the 51st state.

The saying comes from hockey, Canada’s national sport. It means aggressively going into the corners to get the puck from an opponent. Canadians have adopted it as a slogan to illustrate their response to Trump’s tariff and annexation threats.

Canadians are putting their “elbows up” by not buying American products or by canceling trips to the United States. A recent study found 76% of Canadians say they’re boycotting American products, while 61% say they’re canceling trips to the U.S.

But is “elbows up” the way Canadian Anabaptists/Mennonites should respond?

How should people dedicated to peace and reconciliation respond to threats of economic devastation and annexation?

Is not buying American products or visiting the U.S. an appropriate non­violent response?

There’s no single answer. How could there be? Canadians haven’t had to think about this for over 200 years — not since the War of 1812, the last time the U.S. threatened Canada.

For Michael Pahl, executive minister of Mennonite Church Manitoba, heightened nationalism is “not our path” as Anabaptists/Mennonites. Instead of anger about tariffs, “our focus should be on the impact of these tariffs on the most vulnerable in our societies,” he said.

Economic boycotts — not buying American products or visiting the U.S. — are understandable, he said, but shouldn’t be seen as Anabaptist just because they’re nonviolent.

“This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t buy Canadian, just that we should be wary of tricking ourselves into thinking that it’s somehow a response coming out of our Anabaptist convictions when it’s more likely simply because we’re Canadian and want what’s best for Canada,” he said.

Dan Epp-Tiessen, a former professor of Bible at Canadian Mennonite University, recalled that American abolitionists tried economic boycotts in the 19th century when they encouraged Christians to avoid buying cane sugar from the Caribbean since it was grown and harvested by enslaved people. Instead, they promoted buying locally grown, but more expensive, maple sugar.

In that light, boycotting U.S. products could be an appropriate way to avoid supporting “power structures that are systematically destroying kindness, decency and justice south of the border,” he said.

For Doug Klassen, executive minister of Mennonite Church Canada, boycotts are a way to send a message to Americans, including American Mennonites, about the impact of tariffs on members of MC Canada congregations who will “suffer the consequences of what already has come and what is coming.”

Jeremy Bergen, a professor of religious and theological studies at Conrad Grebel University College, wonders about the danger of nationalism, especially Christian nationalism, and how to avoid that when Canadian sovereignty is threatened.

“I appreciate how that could veer ­toward idolatrous forms of nationalism,” he said, adding that Christian nationalism is also a danger in Canada.

Rick Cober Baumann, former executive director of Mennonite Central Committee Canada, noted that when MCC U.S. and MCC Canada looked for ways to respond to USAID cuts that impact partners in the developing world, the two organizations agreed to continue “working together across a highly volatile border.” The two MCCs are “different, but not divided,” he said.

Royden Loewen, who taught Mennonite history at the University of Winnipeg, encourages Canadian Mennonites not to get caught up in the idea that nationalism is bad if it is done by Americans but good if Canadians do it.

“Any form of nationalism becomes bad when it’s a tribalism that serves up overtly dichotomous views on things and seeks simplistic answers to complex problems,” he said.

Carol Penner, who directs theological studies at Conrad Grebel University College, wants to distinguish between President Trump and his “egomaniacal desire for attention” and ordinary Americans.

That leaves the question of whether she can love Donald Trump and others leading his administration.

“Can I see him and Elon Musk as people made in God’s image?” she asked. “Am I praying for [press secretary] Karoline Leavitt or [Georgia Rep.] Marjorie Taylor Greene?”

While tariffs need to be challenged, she asked if “we can find ways to engage in respectful political debate, including within Mennonite communities. Hating a figure beloved by political opponents isn’t going to help us dialogue.”

Penner sees the trade war “as an invitation to pray more fervently for international peace and peace in our own hearts and communities. Political dialogue is less possible when we hate and demonize our opponents.”