B.C. Premier David Eby said on Tuesday that the province is taking action against U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs of 25 per cent on all Canadian goods exported to the U.S.
Eby said that along with pulling red state liquor from government store shelves immediately, the province will be prioritizing B.C. and Canadian products for infrastructure projects and offering support to industries hit hardest by the tariffs.
“You want to send a message to the United States that there’s a pain to what you’re doing,” Werner Antweiler, a University of Economics professor told Global News.
“And we want to inflict that pain on you because you’re hurting us.”
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Officials are warning that Canada’s 25 per cent retaliatory tariffs on nearly 1,300 U.S. goods could mean higher grocery bills, with items such as peanut butter, coffee and orange juice from the United States becoming more expensive immediately.
“Down the road you will see that for textiles and other consumer goods,” Antweiler said.
“Similarly down the road for bulkier, more expensive goods, like appliances and industrial goods.”
B.C.’s salmon farming industry said most farm-raised salmon goes to U.S. consumers.
Stakeholders said in a statement that tariffs could slash demand by 40 per cent and cost nearly 1,200 jobs.
Ahead of the budget on Tuesday, Eby called for solidarity, asking British Columbians to buy local whenever possible.
He also said that if anyone had a choice on where to travel, he asked them not to spend their vacation money south of the border.
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