Ottawa, Canada - Canada is renewing a massive boycott of US goods, particularly American wines and spirits, after being slapped with 50% tariffs on a range of crucial exports.
"Tariffs hurt our economy, but they force us to buy Canadian," Philippe Meranger, a Montreal resident who had just finished his grocery shopping, told the AFP. "And I'm all for that."
The escalating trade conflict with the US is stirring a wave of patriotism in Canada, where Prime Minister Mark Carney's government is encouraging people to boycott American products more than ever before.
Since President Donald Trump launched his tariff offensive last year, Canadians have staged a boycott of US goods. American wines and spirits have disappeared from shelves in most provinces, and the number of Canadian tourists traveling to the US has fallen off a cliff.
Now that Trump has slapped 50% tariffs across a range of Canadian products, Carney's government is trying to give the movement fresh momentum.
"It's good to remember that the greatest power we all have is our own purchasing power," said Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne on Tuesday. "We can choose to buy Canadian, and we must choose to buy Canadian."
His comments came as he unveiled Canada's tit-for-tat response to Trump's tariffs, which were imposed after Ottawa refused to sign a trade deal with Washington it deemed "uneconomic" and "unfair."
Industry Minister Melanie Joly added: "When you choose a Canadian product, you're not only putting pressure on the United States, you're protecting jobs."
Peter Gianopolis, the manager of a Montreal supermarket, said Wednesday he could "already see a difference" in consumer behavior.
Labels and the maple leaf from the Canadian flag clearly identifying products' origins have proliferated since last year.
"Customers ask where products come from and always prefer those from Quebec, even if they're more expensive," Gianopolis said.