Avoiding US goods and services – from tech to whisky to air travel – has forced many to find a new way of living
This week the US imposed 50% tariffs on US$20bn (£15bn) of Canadian goods, and Mark Carney, the country’s prime minister, has vowed to match them “dollar for dollar” after the collapse of trade talks between the two countries last weekend. Donald Trump retaliated on Thursday by ordering the federal government to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America.
Such actions have added fuel to a widespread boycott of US products and services by Canadians that began early last year in response to the president’s trade war and threats to annex his northern neighbour.
More than 3,500 people from across Canada shared with the Guardian via an online callout how they have made changes to their lives in response to the US administration’s political and economic stance. Many expressed deep anger and sadness, but remained resolute that this was now a new way of living.
I am hoping to hear from a real Canadian if this a common thing among Canadians or is it just a handful of people?
Canadian from Quebec here - everyone in my family and friends and every co-workers i have is trying to avoid Americans products, vacations, cars, etc as much as possible, every day.
It’s not even a spite thing, not anymore at least - it’s just a new habit we’re collectively developing.
Tod Maffin has been an amazing and hilarious voice for months through all this…
I’ve been happy to see so many “aliment Quebec” lables.
It’s not just the tariffs and other bullshit.
I can’t trust American products to be safe.
It’s a common topic of conversation in the grocery store aisles and in the coffee shops.
Nobody is happy about how Trump’s America is trying to fick over our country.
Dude, the American imported oranges have been going moldy on the grocery store shelves since Biden left office.
People will go hungry before they buy fascist.
I don’t think the USA would be bitching and moaning about Canadian tourists no longer visiting their shithole or Canadians not buying their alcohol if it were just a handful of people taking part in the boycott.
Crown Royal seems to have recently been doing a big advert push in the US. Bold choice, especially assuming no exception to the tariffs. But ya know, they might be “unenforceable” retroactively and give businesses another huge refund.
I don’t blame anyone for avoiding this place. It blows my mind how comfortable people from the US are leaving for vacation and having to deal with coming back in. It’s been proven it doesn’t matter if you’re a citizen or not.
Canadian here. Everyone I know is trying to avoid American products when we can. My parents switched from orange juice to apple juice for breakfast. People buy produce from Mexico to avoid American, enough that supermarkets try harder at sourcing outside the US wherever possible.
Adding my Canadian voice to the pile: it’s very real and common. It’s common enough that our biggest grocery chain has updated their labelling to be much clearer on the source of products
Québécois who did his groceries earlier today, here - 100% agree. Without going back to check I can tell you I intentionally didn’t buy grapes (“product of the United States”) but i did buy iceberg lettuce (from Quebec, incidentally for 1$) and red bell peppers (product of Canada). I bought onions (from Canada) but no berries (they were all from the US). Bought some “CARBS” sourdough crackers, too, Companys right here in Quebec!!
The grocery stores near me have big signs with Canadian flags on, marking some shelves as all Canadian. They wouldn’t bother if they didn’t think it would help sales.
The big grocery store chains have also been caught profusely maple-washing. Best to avoid Loblaws/Sobeys/etc even if they are big Canadian companies. Try to go to independent markets if possible.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/investigates/sobeys-loblaw-maple-washing-9.7196767
This is starting to become pretty widespread. My local grocery and liquor stores don’t carry any US products, and i don’t miss them at all.
Another Canadian here and I’ll tell ya, buying American ain’t what it used to be. It’s not just a boycott, it’s straight up reputational ruination.
Pretty much everyone I know avoids any American products at the grocery store, and I know a few people that have switched off products they like to Canadian alternatives (like ketchup, cheese, etc). My family bought Heinz our whole lives and now we’ve swapped to French’s, which we’ve found we like better so we won’t be switching back anyways. I think one of the biggest things is losing a lot of long time customers and brand loyalty.
Leaving american products and produce on the shelf is very much a thing.
Abandoning American alcohol and never looking back is a thing.
Actively replacing American products with local, European or Asian trade partners is a thing.
I think that a lot of this will be ongoing, even after the Trump regime falls.
You should believe it because politicians in the affected states are whining about it.
They’re whining to us instead of to the orange shit king. But that’s a different problem.
Canadian in Ontario, only if there is no alternative will I buy American.
and only if I actually need whatever it is
otherwise I’ll just do without
If it something i really cant do without, I at least to try to find it from a blue state
There’s gotta be some people who don’t give a shit but I haven’t really met any. I don’t know anyone who’s taken a trip to the US during this admin and many who’ve cancelled trips. Even my elderly mom is using apps to avoid American products. It’s definitely not just the typical folks you’d expect to be calling for boycotts.
Thanks a lot everyone for your answers, you give me hope that this orange guy is not going to get away with everything he does
it’s common enough among everyone I know. probably at least 15% that actively avoid US products and another 15% that passively avoid them.
edit: I do know a good number of people who just shake their head at the US and haven’t made their actual behaviours known. but I also know a few people who have cut out american products as much as possible, including altering their diets and what services they use. it’s not just “oh I’ll buy the Canadian version” — it’s “oh, it’s american, nevermind I’ll just find/do something else”