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Canadian-born pop singer Tate McRae appeared in an NBC ad for the Cortina Olympics in Milan, expressing support for Team USA. McRae was born in Calgary, Alberta, in 2003 and attended high school in the country. However, she has made her music career in the United States
In the ad, McRae is seen talking to an owl and asking how to get to Milan. She expresses excitement at seeing American athletes, including Lindsey Vonn, and capped it off by hyping America’s Game – the Super Bowl.
“I’m trying to get to Milan for a great opening ceremony and meet Team USA. Going to spend the week with some of America’s best, skating for gold and Lindsey Vonn’s epic comeback. And back to the States for the big game, Super Bowl LX,” she said in the ad.
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McRae’s support for the United States in the ad led to criticism from Canadians across social media.
One user was referring to President Donald Trump’s previous proposal that Canada become the 51st state of the United States.
“Every year I feel more validated in my dislike for her. Girl why are you announcing for Team USA after that country threatened to annex your actual home country of Canada? Traitor s—,” the user wrote.
One user wrote: “Not the Canadian born and raised girl promoting Team USA and wearing all red considering the state of the US and everything Trump has said about Canada… I guess a paycheck is a paycheck? It’s so embarrassing.”
Tate McRae at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards held at the Dolby Theater on April 1, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gilbert Flores/Billboard via Getty Images)
Another user wrote: “Tate McRae who is from Calgary Alberta does Olympic promotions for Team USA… more like ‘Trait McRator’ AMIRITE!”
Some Americans and Canadians have stood up for the rising pop star in the face of the backlash,
“Quote tweets are full of woke Canadians attacking her as a traitor to promote Team USA. Tate McRae is the model immigrant. This is what assimilation looks like. She is part of our melting pot. Take your anti-American xenophobia elsewhere,” wrote one user on a collage of criticism of McRae.
Another user wrote: “Selling out to the US is the most Albertan thing she could do to be fair.”
Tensions between the US and Canada are historically higher than at previous Winter Olympics, amid Trump’s proposal to annex the country and the imposition of tariffs on Canadian goods entering the US last year.
This year’s Winter Games could see fans from the two countries booing each other’s national anthems, as well as potential hockey match-ups, as seen during the NHL’s 4 Nations Face Off last January.
US OLYMPIAN SPOKEN OUT AFTER TEAM CANADA WITHDRAWAL PREVENTS HER FROM QUALIFYING FOR MILAN-CORTINA
Several athletes competing for the upcoming U.S. women’s ice hockey team have said they are willing to engage in physical combat with Canadian players if it comes to that.
U.S. women’s hockey star Caroline Harvey said she is prepared to fight and even hear Canadians bow “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the Games.
“It’s expected, especially playing Canada,” Harvey told Pakinomist Digital of potential anthem boos at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee media summit in October. “They don’t like us that much. So it’s more motivating than anything, and personally it’s fired up and makes us want to, you know, beat them more than ever.
“I don’t like them either. They’re a respectable competitor. They’re so good and always give us such a tough game. It’s so back and forth. But when we get into the heat of the moment, we just always struggle and don’t like them. … It gets personal at times.”
Veteran teammate Kendall Coyne Schofield, mother of a young child and self-described “lover, not a fighter,” told Pakinomist Digital in October that she would fight if the situation called for it.
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“If I have to, I have to,” she said. “And I’m not going to say that I’m not a fighter in the sense that I’ve fought for a lot of things in life. But I’m just going to say in general. Fighting is not a strength of my game. But if I’m out there and I have to, you know, help my teammates out, I will. But you’re not going to find me starting the fight, I can tell you that.”
Meanwhile, in the skeleton competition, many Americans are outraged by the absence of five-time Olympian Katie Uhlaender in Milan Cortina after Team Canada was found last month to have rigged an Olympic qualifier that prevented Uhlaender from earning enough points to reach this year’s Winter Games.
