Skip to Content News Archives Economy Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials HomeNewsEconomyU.S. wants its booze back in Canada’s stores but some say don’t buy itTwo premiers said a consumer boycott of U.S. alcohol might continue anywayAuthor of the article:Scenes from a BC Liquor store as U.S. produced alcohol is removed from the shelves in response to tarriffs placed on Canadaian goods by the U.S. government, in Vancouver, B.C., on March 10, 2025. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO/PNGPrime Minister Mark Carney has asked Canada’s provinces to end their bans on the retail sale of U.S. alcoholic beverages. It’s a necessary step to getting a trade deal with U.S. President Donald Trump across the finish line.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorThe response so far indicates he’s succeeding — but some provincial politicians, still angry at what they see as an American assault on the Canadian economy, won’t encourage consumers to end their personal boycotts of U.S. goods.Canada’s provincial governments control alcohol distribution, and most of them have blocked U.S. wine and spirits for more than a year in retaliation for Trump’s tariffs. For U.S. winemakers and distillers, it has been a disaster for export sales. The White House has demanded the booze go back on the shelves.SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE: FP West: Energy Insider brings you behind the oilpatch’s closed doors with exclusive insights from insiders every Wednesday morning.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of FP West: Energy Insider will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againAll of Canada’s provincial leaders agreed to Carney’s request, according to Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Tony Wakeham. However, the country’s two most populous regions, Ontario and Quebec, had yet to publicly confirm their positions by Thursday.Two premiers said a consumer boycott of U.S. alcohol might continue anyway. One of them explicitly encouraged it.“What I would say to Canadians is: leave it there,” Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said. “Let it sit on the shelf where the Liquor Mart employees will be putting it, and buy the Canadian stuff instead. We’ve done an amazing job sticking together in the face of Donald Trump’s tariff threats, and I think we should continue to do that.”Kinew attacked Trump at length, saying: “You can’t get a good deal with a bad person.”But the Manitoba leader said Carney told premiers that any U.S. trade truce hinges on booze being returned. “I wouldn’t say that he was begging us — but what is the step before begging?”A survey by the Angus Reid Institute in July asked Canadians whether they would consider buying U.S. wine, beer and spirits if a trade agreement was reached; 40 per cent said “definitely not” and another 19 per cent said “probably not.”Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette, whose political party is facing a difficult election fight in the coming weeks, has been publicly noncommittal about the deal Carney and his officials are negotiating.If there’s no agreement or delay by Friday night, the U.S. is poised to impose 50 per cent tariffs on hundreds of products from Canada — including alcohol.“There are things that could change, but whether they’ll change enough to bring good news remains to be seen,” she told reporters Wednesday after some details of the agreement began to emerge.Fréchette said Thursday that she followed up with “a long phone call” with the prime minister, but still needs to do more analysis.The office of Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who has sparred frequently with Trump, hasn’t responded to requests for comment. His province’s liquor agency is one of the world’s largest purchasers of alcoholic beverages.Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston told reporters during a press conference Wednesday that the federal government has also asked provinces to ensure they don’t specifically exclude the U.S. in their procurement policies.B.C. Premier David Eby didn’t comment on alcohol specifically, but said he’s “hopeful about the possibility of an agreement” to ease trade tensions with the U.S. Among Canada’s premiers, he has been one of the most forceful advocates for spurning U.S. products and travel.Yukon’s premier said the northern territory will lift its restrictions if a trade deal is signed.U.S. alcohol was already brought back to stores in Alberta and Saskatchewan, but in the latter province, sales remained 40 per cent below the prior year, CTV News reported.With assistance from Josh Wingrove, Melissa Shin, Nojoud Al Mallees and Mathieu Dion Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.