Canadians Push Back Against Trump’s Tariffs
In a bold response to Donald Trump’s latest tariffs, Canadians are swapping out American products for homegrown and international alternatives. Gone are Californian tomatoes, replaced with Italian ones. Ohio-made pepperoni? Now sourced from Ontario and Quebec. Even Coca-Cola is being swapped for sparkling water sweetened with Canadian maple syrup.
At the end of January, as Trump ramped up threats to annex Canada and impose crushing tariffs, Graham Palmateer, owner of Gram’s Pizza in Toronto, decided to take a stand. He told his customers he was removing all U.S.-made products from his shelves.
“At one point, I just figured, that’s enough—I’m going to do this,” Palmateer told CNN.
An unusual emotion has been brewing in normally polite Canada: anger.
Since Trump first floated sweeping tariffs and referred to Canada as America’s “51st state,” tensions have escalated. Canadians have canceled U.S. vacations, booed “The Star-Spangled Banner” at sports events, and even seen a hockey match turn into a geopolitical showdown.
Others, like Palmateer, have taken a more direct approach—boycotting U.S. goods. It’s not an easy task in a country whose economy is deeply tied to its southern neighbor, with trade surpassing $760 billion last year.
Trump’s moves have also reshaped Canada’s political landscape. Just months ago, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was facing a crisis, leading to his resignation announcement. Now, Trump’s aggressive stance has unexpectedly bolstered support for the struggling Liberal Party while forcing Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre to rethink his messaging.
“We, as Canadians, don’t go looking for fights,” said Dylan Lobo, founder of Made in Canada, an online directory that has seen a surge in traffic from people seeking local brands. “But this is an attack on Canada.”
A Trade War Escalates
On Tuesday, Trump followed through on his threats, slapping a 25% tariff on nearly all Canadian goods, sending markets into turmoil and further straining relations between the two nations. Trudeau responded swiftly, imposing retaliatory tariffs on $20.8 billion worth of American goods.
“Canadians are reasonable and polite,” Trudeau said, “but we will not back down from a fight—especially when our country and its well-being are at stake.”
Trump, in a call with Trudeau, accused Canada of not doing enough to curb fentanyl trafficking—despite the fact that Canada is not a major source. He later suggested Trudeau might be using the trade dispute to cling to power.
In the days that followed, Trump announced limited exemptions, sparing some automakers and goods covered under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). But for many Canadians, the damage was already done.
“The relationship has changed forever,” British Columbia Premier David Eby said. “We love our American family and friends, but we will never again allow ourselves to be so dependent on the United States.”
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump’s repeated jabs at Canada—including mockingly calling Trudeau a “governor”—have only fueled the backlash.
“I can tell you that Canadians right now are upset, we’re angry, we’re dismayed,” said John Liedtke from Windsor, Ontario, a city bordering Detroit. “I know people who say they will never step foot in the U.S. again.”
Some Canadians have taken drastic steps. Nikki Gauthier, a retired nurse from St. Catharines, Ontario, immediately canceled her Amazon subscription in favor of Chinese marketplace Temu. At the grocery store, she now carefully inspects labels, prioritizing Canadian goods.
“If there’s no Canadian lettuce, I’ll buy Mexican lettuce,” she said.
Meanwhile, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has ordered government-run liquor stores to remove U.S. products, from California wines to Jack Daniel’s whiskey. The province, which imports $1 billion worth of U.S. liquor annually, is also slapping a 25% tariff on electricity exports to Minnesota, Michigan, and New York.
This isn’t the first time Canadians have fought back against Trump’s tariffs. During his first term, Trump imposed steep tariffs on steel and aluminum while renegotiating USMCA. Now, history is repeating itself—except this time, Canadians are more determined than ever not to be caught off guard.