Canadians have responded with outrage to the United States’ imposition of steep tariffs on Canadian goods, cancelling trips, boycotting American products, and even booing at sporting events in protest against what many see as an unjust economic assault by President Donald Trump.
The U.S. administration on Saturday imposed a 25 per cent tariff on most Canadian imports, while energy products will face a 10 percent levy.
In response, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced retaliatory tariffs amounting to C$155 billion ($107 billion) on U.S. goods, with the first phase taking effect on Tuesday.
The move has sparked a wave of nationalist sentiment across Canada, with citizens vowing to shop local and avoid American brands.
“It feels like Trump wants to restructure the world order,” said Drew Dilkens, mayor of Windsor, a Canadian border city that sees approximately C$400 million ($272 million) in daily trade via the Ambassador Bridge connecting it to Detroit. “If he’s willing to do this to Canada, what’s he willing to do to everybody else?”
Economic impact and local response
The tariffs have already started affecting communities dependent on cross-border trade. Many fear job losses and economic disruptions, particularly in Ontario, which relies heavily on U.S.-Canada commerce.
In a bold move, Ontario Premier Doug Ford ordered the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), the province’s largest alcohol retailer, to pull all American-made liquor off its shelves. “Every year, LCBO sells nearly $1 billion worth of American wine, beer, spirits, and seltzers. Not anymore,” Ford wrote on X.
Meanwhile, many Canadians have taken individual steps to push back against what they view as economic aggression.
Calgary resident Ken Lima-Coelho said his family has begun reassessing their household purchases, ensuring they support Canadian businesses. “There’s nothing I can do about this quagmire politically… but I can change which toothpaste I buy,” he remarked.
Public backlash spreads to sports and travel
Canadians have also taken their frustrations to sporting events. At a hockey game in Ottawa on Saturday, spectators booed the U.S. national anthem before the Senators played against the Minnesota Wild. A similar response was seen at a basketball game in Toronto, where Raptors fans booed during the anthem before a match against the LA Clippers.
Winnipeg resident Loraine MacKenzie Shepherd said she plans to prioritise purchasing Mexican and Canadian products in solidarity with workers who may suffer from the tariffs. “There will be job losses in this country… We need to find ways to stand together.”
On the travel front, many Canadians have cancelled trips to the U.S. in protest. Mike Davies, a 64-year-old British Columbia resident, has gone as far as launching a social media campaign urging Canadians to boycott American products. “To have Americans insult Canada has got my back up… Every Canadian is just disgusted,” he said, adding that he had cancelled his Netflix subscription and avoided using Amazon.
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