Michael Bublé took a less-than-subtle jab at U.S. President Donald Trump Sunday night while hosting this year’s Juno Awards, the Canadian equivalent of the Grammys.
Describing himself as a “hometown kid who never left,” the Canadian crooner didn’t mention Trump by name in his opening monologue, but nonetheless alluded to the president’s desire to annex Canada for the U.S. amid an escalating trade war.
“I’m proud that when they go low, we get high ― we go high. It’s kind of the same thing,” Bublé said. “Bottom line: we love this country. And when you love something, you show up for it, and we always will. We will, because we’re formidable, because we’re fearless, because we don’t just acknowledge our differences, we embrace them. Because they don’t just make us stronger, they make us a hell of lot more interesting.”
“We are the greatest nation on Earth, and we are not for sale,” he added, as the audience erupted into cheers and applause.
Watch Michael Bublé’s 2025 Juno Awards monologue below.
Bublé was one of several Canadian-born artists who struck a patriotic tone with their comments ― and, in some cases, their wardrobe ― at Sunday’s ceremony, which was held at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Anne Murray, known for adult contemporary hits like “You Needed Me” and “Just Another Woman in Love,” recalled how she resisted offers to relocate to New York or Los Angeles early in her career while accepting a lifetime achievement award.
“Canada is my safe haven. My safety blanket,” she said from the stage, sporting a sequined hockey jersey that featured the word “Canada” and a maple leaf on the front. “My light at the end of the tunnel — it still is.”
Speaking to the Toronto Star backstage, Murray didn’t reference U.S. politics but said of her outfit: “It says it all.”
Vancouver-based rapper bbno$ was significantly more pointed while accepting the Fan Choice Award with a speech that quickly went viral on social media.
“Elon Musk is a piece of garbage,” he declared, referring to the Tesla CEO who has become one of Trump’s top advisers.
Since being sworn into office in January, Trump has repeatedly accused Canada of having “ripped off” the U.S. for years while insisting the sovereign nation “only works” as a U.S. state.
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“It would be one of the great states anywhere,” Trump said last month. “This would be the most incredible country visually. If you look at a map, they drew an artificial line right through it between Canada and the U.S. just a straight artificial line. Somebody did it a long time ago, many, many decades ago. And it makes no sense.”
Though many of Trump’s supporters have been quick to dismiss the president’s comments as a joke, Canadian officials aren’t laughing.
Speaking to reporters in Ottawa last week, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said that Canada’s previous relationship with the U.S., which had been “based on deepening integration of our economies and tight security and military cooperation,” was “over.”