Several Canadians have canceled trips, boycotted U.S. alcohol and other products, and even voiced their frustration at sporting events following U.S. President Donald Trump’s imposition of a 25% tariff on Canadian goods.
This move has sparked a wave of Canadian pride and activism. For example, a customer at a BC Liquor Store in Vancouver was seen holding a bottle while a sign reading “Buy Canadian Instead” was displayed after the top five U.S. liquor brands were removed from sale.
Calgary resident Ken Lima-Coelho shared with Reuters that the tariff news had sparked a surge of Canadian pride in his household. “There’s nothing I can do about this quagmire we now find ourselves in politically with the regime next door,” he said. “But I can change which toothpaste I buy, and that gives us something to do while hopefully our political and business leaders sort this out.”
Mike Davies, 64, from British Columbia, said he has been upset ever since Trump posted comments about absorbing Canada as the 51st state. Davies also started a Facebook group encouraging people to boycott American goods and announced he would not be visiting his friend in North Carolina. “We’re not going to America at all,” he said.
Winnipeg resident Loraine MacKenzie Shepherd said she will change her grocery shopping habits and hopes to support Canadian and Mexican products. “There will be job losses in this country… we know that’s going to happen,” she said. “We need to find ways to be in solidarity with others who will suffer from some irrational ire.”
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens expressed concerns that Trump seeks to reshape the global order. “It feels like Trump wants to restructure the world order,” Dilkens said. “He’s willing to start with his closest ally… If he’s willing to do this to Canada, what’s he willing to do to everybody else?”
Meanwhile, Ontario Premier Doug Ford ordered American-made liquor to be removed from shelves at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), writing on X, “Every year, LCBO sells nearly $1 billion worth of American wine, beer, spirits, and seltzers. Not anymore.”
On February 1, President Trump announced tariffs on major U.S. trading partners, including Canada, Mexico, and China. The tariffs are 25% on Canadian and Mexican imports and 10% on Chinese goods.
The White House stated that Trump was taking “bold action” to hold Mexico, Canada, and China accountable for addressing illegal immigration and halting the flow of fentanyl and other drugs into the U.S. The tariffs will remain in place “until the crisis is alleviated.”
In response, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau imposed a 25% tariff on U.S. goods as a countermeasure. During an emotional press conference, Trudeau addressed Americans directly, recalling the shared history of the two nations. “From the beaches of Normandy to the mountains of the Korean Peninsula, from the fields of Flanders to the streets of Kandahar, we have fought and died alongside you during your darkest hours,” Trudeau said.
He acknowledged the challenges ahead, noting that the coming weeks would be difficult for both Canadians and Americans due to Trump’s actions.
