Canadians have canceled trips to the U.S., boycotted American alcohol and other products and booed U.S. teams at sporting events after the presidentDonald Trump announced a 25% tariff on Canadian products.
Although Trump had warned Canada and Mexico before he was sworn in as US president that he would impose tariffs on them, the official announcement of the decision on Saturday came as a shock to many Canadians who consider themselves too close to the US geographically and culturally.
“It looks like Trump wants to reshape the world order,” assessed Drew Dilkens, mayor of Windsor, on the U.S. border. “He’s willing to start with his closest ally (…) If he’s willing to do that in Canada, what will he do to the rest of us?“, he asked.
Dilkens pointed out that $272 million (about 265 million euros) worth of goods cross the Abasador Bridge, which connects Windsor to Detroit in the US, every day. For his city of 240,000 people, the impact of the tariffs imposed by Trump will be immediate.
Dilkens hopes residents will support local winemakers and distilleries. Ken Lima-Coello, a Calgary resident, said news of the tariffs caused an explosion of patriotic feeling in his home. His 19-year-old son now plans to sew a small Canadian flag on his backpack, which he will take with him on his trip to Europe. His daughter was recording the Canadian products they had in their kitchen Saturday night.
“There’s nothing I can do about this situation we’re in politically with the regime next door,” Lima-Coello commented. “But I can change the toothpaste I buy (…) and that gives us something to do at a time when we hope that our political and business leaders will settle the situation.”
Following Trump’s announcement of 25% tariffs on Canadian products imported into the US , Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded with retaliatory tariffs on various US products totaling $107 billion (about $104 billion).
In addition, the Canadian prime minister urged his fellow citizens to prefer Canadian products, which other local officials have also done.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has proposed that American-made beverages be pulled from the shelves of the province’s only liquor wholesaler (LCBO) by tomorrow, Tuesday . “Each year the LCBO sells nearly $1 billion worth of American-made wines, beers, spirits. No more,” he told X.
Lorraine McKenzie said she will change the products she buys, seeking to support Mexican and Canadian products.
“Jobs will be lost in this country (…) we know it’s going to happen,” she said. “We have to find ways to show solidarity with those who will suffer from this senseless rage,” he added.
In Ottawa on Saturday night, Canadians reacted angrily to a hockey game by booing the U.S. team Minnesota Wild. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinneyu called for calm.
“I think we have to realize that our conflict is not with the American people (…) because many of our families, our relatives on the other side of the 49th parallel are still our friends and relatives,” he said. “We still share the history of our veterans who fought side by side (…) Together we defeated fascism.”
But 64-year-old British Columbia resident Mike Davis has been furious with Trump since the Republican began posting comments on social media suggesting the US should annex Canada and make it its 51st state.
“I’m outraged that Americans are insulting Canada (…) I think all Canadians are equally disgusted, right?”
Davis created a Facebook page encouraging people to boycott American products He also cancelled his Netflix subscription and said he would never use Amazon again. He also cancelled plans to visit a friend in North Carolina.
“We’re not going to America,” he said.
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