John Sewell takes leading role with Elbows Up Toronto in response to U.S. threats to Canada’s economy and independence

By JOSHUA McGINNIS

Amid the ongoing threat of a trade war and an increasingly unpredictable White House administration, Elbows Up Toronto has emerged as a non-partisan group uniting members from both the public and private sectors to deal with these challenges.

The organization, which has a strong connection to the East Toronto area, aims to develop responses to U.S. tariffs and concerns about Canadian sovereignty.

On its website, Elbows Up Toronto states: “Elbows Up Toronto hopes to create a sense of cohesion and solidarity regarding threats to Canada and to discuss actions that can be taken against those threats.”

Lynda Macdonald, a member of Elbows Up Toronto, said the organization does not want to exclude others from joining.

“We are also not anti-American. In fact, we know that many Americans are Elbows Up for Canada. We are hoping to create a clearing house for people to share what they are doing, amplify their voices, and by bringing in expert speakers, share knowledge that Torontonians need to be able to understand the issues and take action.”

One of the founding members of Elbows Up Toronto is John Sewell, both a former Beach resident and a former mayor of Toronto.

Sewell, 84, is remembered as a prolific and outspoken civic leader who prioritized grassroots activism and reform-minded policies. He was mayor of Toronto from 1978 to 1980, having previously served as a councillor for the Regent Park and Cabbagetown area from 1969 on.

Sewell grew up in the Beach and attended Malvern Collegiate in the late 1950s before attending the University of Toronto and obtaining a law degree.

Since leaving office, Sewell has remained a vocal advocate on a wide range of Canadian issues. His continued engagement led him to join Elbows Up Toronto.

Sewell recently spoke with Beach Metro Community News about the group’s goals and the broader political climate.

“I think the politicians have been doing OK when dealing with the tariffs. It’s a very difficult situation. I think there is a lot of other things that can be done. One thing we have to do is strengthen employment insurance so it is easier to apply, the benefits last longer, and they should be higher to help deal with the tariff situation,” he said.

“Another issue we can deal with is stopping American companies from buying up Canadian companies. As Trump tries to drive down the Canadian economy, Canadian companies become less valuable, leaving the opportunity for American companies to buy up our businesses. We’ve seen American companies buy veterinarian services, health care services — we need to protect those, be in control of them, and keep them in Canada.”

Elbows Up Toronto, as well as some Canadian political parties during this federal election campaign, have also revived interest in using Victory Bonds as a potential tool for economic resilience in the face of U.S. tariffs.

First introduced by the federal government during the First World War, Victory Bonds are government-issued debt securities purchased by citizens, allowing the government to raise funds during times of crisis. The bonds played a critical role in funding the Canadian war effort during both the First World War and Second World War. After the conflicts ended, citizens were repaid with interest, typically ranging from three to 10 percent. These bond campaigns were part of broader national efforts to inspire patriotism and civic duty.

“We should be talking about Victory Bonds. Canadians are some of the most excellent savers in the world — we save lots of money. So we should put those savings into the Canadian government so the government can use that money to deal with the problems the tariffs will cause,” said Sewell.

Sewell said he is very concerned about the direction in which the U.S. appears to be heading.

“The other side of the equation is the serious slide that the United States is taking into lawlessness and authoritarianism. The idea that you can be picked up off the street because of something you said and put in jail is happening more and more in the United States — or if you’re just trying to cross the border.”

Elbows Up Toronto seeks to address pressing issues including housing, food security, and health care, which it sees as fundamental to national resilience.

On the issue of housing, Sewell said the need to build more housing quickly should not be used as an excuse to expand urban sprawl.

“Suburban sprawl doesn’t pay for itself. It’s often subsidized by the inner city. Instead, we should be building within cities. You should be able to have five-storey buildings along Queen Street,” he said.

He also said the participation of governments at the federal, provincial and municipal level need to be part of the solution when it comes to the building of more affordable housing.

“I love the idea of the city being more involved in housing. In my day, in the 1970s, we had a non-profit housing program funded by the federal and provincial governments. We built a staggering amount of really good non-profit co-op housing throughout the city.”

Elbows Up Toronto holds a number of semi-weekly meetings within the city. They are looking for new members and speakers at their meetings, welcome people to join their mailing list, and are open to new suggestions and topics for discussion. 

More information about the group can be found by visiting their website at https://elbowsuptoronto.ca/