Canadians Refuse to Back Down

Canadian liquor stores have started placing signs encouraging customers to “Buy Canadian Instead” of American products (Flickr)

At a conference in Washington D.C. for the National League of Cities, an organization that advocates for over 2,700 U.S. cities, Ottawa city councilor Tim Tierney emphasized one point: increasing tariffs between the United States and Canada could have devastating consequences, according to the Ottawa Citizen. This warning comes on the heels of an escalating trade war between the longtime allies that has prompted many Canadian businesses to look for partners beyond the United States. 

In a series of statements, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce CEO Daniel Tisch described how some Canadian businesses have started searching “for new partners in Europe, in Asia and Latin America, where … we have countries that actually value the alliances with us,” per CBC. The threat of tariffs and the most recent 25 percent tariffs on aluminum and steel have quickly eroded Canada’s trust in the United States and have led to calls for Canada to change its trade policy. 

Pressure for Canadian businesses to continue protesting President Trump’s policies has come from Canadians themselves. According to CNBC, a new “shop Canada” movement has emerged in response to the tariffs. Supermarkets have begun labeling products as made in Canada, and a survey conducted by market research company Leger found that over 60 percent of Canadians are buying fewer American-made goods, per CNBC. 70 percent of the 1,500 Canadians surveyed reported buying more Canadian products. Even the Liquor Control Board of Ontario has ordered its members to cease purchasing American alcohol.

The tariffs are also affecting Canadians' travel to the United States. Compared to February of 2024, return trips from the United States to Canada by vehicle have decreased by approximately 23 percent, according to CNBC. In addition, the director of marketing and public relations for the Greater Wildwoods Authority Ben Rose reported to CNBC that some Canadians have canceled trips to the Wildwoods, New Jersey, a popular vacation spot for Quebec residents, due to Trump’s incendiary comments. This fall in travel to the United States by Canadians reflects an overall dissatisfaction with the United States’ new adversarial relationship towards Canada and a willingness to protest the current U.S. administration. 

A potential repercussion of souring Canada-U.S. relations is decreased economic growth for both nations. Reuters recently reported that the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development predicts that Canada’s growth rate will substantially decrease from 2 percent to 0.7 percent for the next two years. U.S. economic growth is expected to slow from 2.4 to 2.1 percent this year and from 2.1 to 1.6 percent in 2026. The trust that kept the two nations tied for so long is rapidly disappearing. But even in the face of a worsening economic outlook, Canada is unwilling to back down, potentially resulting in a protracted trade war.