A white hot trade war between Canada and the U.S. has renewed a push on the Prairies to put American booze down and elbows up.
In Saskatchewan, the Opposition NDP urged Premier Scott Moe to stop “pandering” to U.S. President Donald Trump and remove U.S. liquor again from provincial shelves.
“Donald Trump has made his choice, now Scott Moe needs to make his,” NDP trade critic Kim Breckner said Monday in Saskatoon.
“Scott Moe made a mistake.
“When he put American liquor back on Saskatchewan shelves — it was an act of cowardice.”
Talk of tariff retaliation resurfaced over the weekend as a renewed round of trade fighting between Canada and the U.S. exploded with talks collapsing and the Americans imposing 50 per cent tariffs on US$20 billion in Canadian goods. The list includes honey, hockey sticks and flower bulbs.
Prime Minister Mark Carney promised dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs starting Sept. 8.
Provinces have long curtailed U.S. booze on their shelves in response to earlier tariff fights with the Trump administration. Those battles have been waxing and waning for over a year.
In that time, Saskatchewan and Alberta, despite brief flirtations with booze bans, have chosen to keep American product on their shelves.
Over the weekend, Moe backed Carney’s plan to fight the new tariffs. He said on social media that U.S. demands, including conditions on Canada’s trade relationships with other nations, are beyond the pale and that he supports Carney’s promised dollar-for-dollar tariff retaliation.
Speaking to reporters Sunday, Moe said his Saskatchewan Party government would discuss how to approach American liquor, including considering a ban. But he qualified the remark.
“There are many other opportunities that provinces have as well when it comes to our relationship with American companies,” Moe said.
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In Alberta, Premier Danielle Smith said Saturday on her call-in radio show that her government has been focused on diplomacy, and she urged Canada and the U.S. to strike a deal.
Smith said she won’t be shifting the province’s booze policy and will leave it up to consumers.
“We believe also in choice,” she said.
“We trust that Albertans can make their own decisions, so we won’t be going down that track.”
Some customers interviewed at Alberta liquor stores Monday say their hearts — and wallets — are with the Maple Leaf.
At Calgary’s Willow Park Wines and Spirits, customer Jim Campbell bought a pack of Canadian-brewed Fat Tug ale.
“I wouldn’t want to be the next incoming president of the United States, because they’re going to have a hell of a mess to clean up,” Campbell said.
“Things will never be the same.”
He said U.S. alcohol should be pulled from Canadian store shelves.
“We should be hitting back as hard as they hit us,” he said. “Pull the energy, pull the potash, pull the electricity out of Ontario, which powers a million homes in Michigan.”
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In Edmonton, Patricia Cej said since the trade war started with the United States, she has avoided buying American products, particularly alcohol.
“There are times when I go without berries and things like that, because I will not buy U.S. products,” Cej said at the Unity Square shopping plaza.
Erik Holmstrom, another Edmonton shopper, said he’s disappointed by the trade fight, given he likes to travel south of the border.
He said he has avoided buying American products for about two years to support homegrown operators.
“I don’t really drink that much. But if I’m buying gifts for people, I usually try to stick to Canadian products,” Holmstrom said.
In Manitoba, Premier Wab Kinew has long urged Carney to take a hard stand against the U.S. He has also directed his government for more than a year not to order U.S. liquor.
Last week, Kinew said he would put U.S. booze back on shelves if needed for a tariff deal, but would urge consumers to buy Canadian.
On Monday, his government said help is on the way.
Jamie Moses, minister of business, mining, trade and job creation, said Manitoba is waiting to hear from the federal government on its tariff-relief plan for businesses before announcing provincial supports.
“We have a menu of options,” Moses said.
— By The Canadian Press reporters Dayne Patterson and Bill Graveland in Calgary, Lisa Johnson and Daniela Germano in Edmonton and Brittany Hobson in Winnipeg
How about letting the consumer chose instead of removing American liquor from the stores? Government has no business telling us what we can and cannot buy!!
All these tariffs do is, hurt the works class and lower middle class. It does nothing to hurt rich politicians.
Elbows up, people! Carney needs to take the tariffs to 100! Wait, aren’t we the people paying it?
New bucket list item for me: crapping on Trump’s grave. For real
I’m a moron
Elbows up is why we are here today. And now the good little sheep want to double down. Baaaah baaaah
1% of US electricity comes from Canada. You think they care ! All for French on food labels . Elbows up! We all serve Quebec. I for one would like to buy $2 cheese as well. fools!
“Pull the energy, pull the potash, pull the electricity out of Ontario, which powers a million homes in Michigan.”
As September is quickly approaching, yeah, let’s do that. The O&G from the west destined for eastern Canada, goes through the U.S. Who do these dolts think will end up paying for it? They cancelled energy east, so if they end up cold and homeless, that’s on them. Bottoms up, losers!
Alberta’s premier is an idiot. She must be 100% all-in with fighting back against Trump and she must ban American booze! Saying that Canada needs to go back to the negotiating table is a ridiculous statement when everyone sees that Trump must be gone before a fair trade deal can get done. Smith should be reminded all Canadians are asked to pay for pipelines going west or east out of Alberta; Smith should show respect and appreciate Canadians support with her full support by banning American booze! Canadians may choose not to build her pipelines, and if so, she can’t cry about it; if she truly believes in free choice!
We are not Elbows Up in Alberta. Clearly Danielle Smith and also Scott Moe are the adults in the room.
It is going to take more than abstaining to purchase American products and services from all Canadians to weaken the U.S.A into fair trade practices. Now that Canada has fired a warning shot over the bow so to quote, other countries should step up to protect its allies. A uniting world against oppression, is the short answer. In practice it is the Davos speech come to attrition it appears. The economic pain will unfortunately be felt by all Canadians. Canada has taken the first steps in saying a Hard No . The worl must come together to also defendcitself against tyrants as Trump. Just an opinion.
I see all this “don’t buy American” rhetoric online, but in the actual stores, there is no shortage of people buying American products. Looks like the media’s ploys don’t work on everyone.
There are so many reactions to the booze from the USA, which to me is not a significant concern compared to other industries that will be affected. Maybe all the monies we send to other countries should be used in creating more industry and manufacturing companies in Canada to be more self-sufficient. More inter provincial purchasing and selling and let’s not forget about how many taxes individuals pay in our own country and still have to survive.
Just let the people decide. Most people probably don’t realize that Molson Canadian is American owned and same with Labbatt’s.
Looks like Moosehead is a Canadian owned beer so only buy that brand.
Also think that most of all the domestic beers are still made in Canada by Canadians so those people could lose their jobs by the only buy Canadian position.
Government needs to stay out of this and put all products on the shelves so we the people can decide on what products we want to purchase.
With our high cost of living I will be looking for the best value to purchase any alcohol and it that happens to be an American product so be it as that is my choice.
Now if I am going to go buy some beer I will go purchase Moosehead as I think it is a good value and a decent beer.
Same with any product as a majority of our products are foreign owned.
Again the governments need to let the people decide as it is our money to spend and not theirs.
No one I know drinks that rot gut they call American liquor!
Thank you Scott Moe for helping people understand that this is a consumers choice not a government choice!
There are many conflicting versions of why the talks have broken down. I am of the mindset that there are truths and falsities from both sides… somewhere in the middle is the truth.
You dont have to buy it
Don’t buy it
Moe the dirtbag