The shut down of the U.S. government over the building of a wall between Mexico and The United States is nearing its fourth week.
The shutdown includes 800,000 federal employees who have been sent home, but approximately 30,000 are required by law to continue showing up for work regardless if they receive a paycheck. Those positions include employees of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Secret Service agents, the Transportation Security Agents, Border Patrol agents and and air traffic controllers who are responsible for keeping the complex aviation system going.
In light of this, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) is reporting that as a show of compassion and solidarity air traffic controllers from Gander and Moncton, across the Canadian border sent 32 pizzas to the control center in Ronkonkoma, Long Island.
Reddit user David Lombardo, a former air traffic controller posted a photo of the sign announcing the arrival of the pizzas:
r/canada - Hey Canada, THANK YOU!!!!!! This was in the hallway of New York Center (ZNY) today. Canadian air traffic controllers bought dinner for FAA air traffic controllers last night (all over the country) in an effort to show their support during the US government shutdown. from canada
Others took to Twitter to share photos.
Huge thank you to our Union brothers and sisters at @CATCA5454 YYZ Tower for sending us pizza last night!! #NATCA… https://t.co/cutdYCKbi6— NATCA EWR (@NATCA EWR)1547408757.0
CATCA to NATCA - a Pan-Canadian pizza effort: https://t.co/1oF9m6kYVE We are SO Canadian! #catca #natca #pancanadianpizzaeffort #yummo— Merrett Images (@Merrett Images)1547416430.0
Thank you @catca, greatly appreciated #solidarity #NATCA #stoptheshutdown #CATCA https://t.co/FDkbOMXeEZ— kmchugh329 (@kmchugh329)1547247983.0
Thank you SO much #NATCA #EasternRegion for the coffee and donuts this morning!! #EndTheShutdown 🍩🍵🍩🍵🍩🍵🍩🍵🍩🍵🍩🍵🍩 https://t.co/9dujeCI3QL— The Nation's TRACON (PCT NATCA) (@The Nation's TRACON (PCT NATCA))1547473131.0
There was an outpouring of love for the Canadians.
@AP Hey, you know what's great about Canada? Canadians. 🇨🇦— brian (@brian)1547413243.0
@AP Canadians are such good people❤️❤️— NotDoinThisShitIn2019 (@NotDoinThisShitIn2019)1547413080.0
@AP Thank you Canada. We love you.— Months&months&months (@Months&months&months)1547411096.0
@AP What great neighbors (or neighbours)! 🇨🇦 ❤️— Amy Pashak (@Amy Pashak)1547410813.0
@AP Canada rocks! Thank you for hanging in there with us! @Canada— Colena Kenville (@Colena Kenville)1547410685.0
@AP LOVE 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 LOVE 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 LOVE 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 LOVE 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦… https://t.co/8C95o77OjL— Sean (@Sean)1547410797.0
@HuffPost Canadian and American air traffic controllers be like: https://t.co/9t6u9H6lBn— Zachary Nola (@Zachary Nola)1547336059.0
The gesture was greatly appreciated but frustrations with the administration are growing.
@HuffPost What’s the president doing? Nothing for the American people— Chris (@Chris)1547329722.0
@HuffPost @realDonaldTrump this is kindness towards brethren— Lee Ann Grammer (@Lee Ann Grammer)1547328978.0
@HuffPost Careful, he might put a tariff on the dinners....— Bob Wall (@Bob Wall)1547328765.0
@HuffPost Now this is a feel good story for once, I wonder if Donnie boy will remark about this. https://t.co/gCUHVYlqEV— Andre Pellati (@Andre Pellati)1547385206.0
@HuffPost Walls don’t work. Friendship and empathy does. Proud to be Canadian 🇨🇦— Rahul Sekhon (@Rahul Sekhon)1547396497.0
@HuffPost I think Trump wants to keep fighting, but good ppl like this and restaurant that are open for Federal emp… https://t.co/DwrDjvKDXL— Ria57 (@Ria57)1547337573.0
@HuffPost https://t.co/LEMsBpcdE3— Martin Fry (@Martin Fry)1547360643.0
Between pizzas and a wall, we'll chose pizza.