Buffalo Bills to 'celebrate' O Canada at home opener amid more Trump threats during trade war

Amid a trade war that includes President Donald Trump's threats to Canadian sovereignty and his plan to ban imports of several Canadian products to the U.S., the NFL's Buffalo Bills have made an unexpected announcement.

On Wednesday, the team said on social media platform X that both O Canada and The Star-Spangled Banner will be performed before its Sept. 17 home opener against the Detroit Lions, the first regular-season game at the new Highmark Stadium.

The Bills announced that "for the first time in Highmark Stadium history, we will celebrate the American and Canadian anthems during pregame." Actress and singer Auliʻi Cravalho will perform the American anthem and Toronto band Barenaked Ladies will sing O Canada.

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In Buffalo, the Canadian national anthem is rarely heard before NFL games, but it's commonly played before NHL games, even when the Sabres are up against American opponents. In April, fans at KeyBank Center in Buffalo sang O Canada after a microphone failed before the Sabres' playoff game against the Boston Bruins.

#TheMoment Buffalo Sabres fans sang O Canada after a mic failed

Buffalo is the only U.S.-based NHL team that plays both national anthems before home games against American and Canadian teams.

On Tuesday, Trump signed five proclamations to ban Canadian imports including alcohol, motorcycles and various other products to the U.S. as of Sept. 29, and slap 50 per cent tariffs on a series of other products starting next week.

The latest move in an escalating trade war between Canada and the U.S. comes after Canadian retaliatory tariffs, promised after trade talks fell apart last month, came into force Tuesday.

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