Canada urges shoppers to buy Canadian in US tariff fight

Canada's government is urging people to buy Canadian products as its tariff dispute with the United States fuels a consumer boycott of US goods.

Prime Minister Mark Carney's government is trying to give the boycott fresh momentum after Washington imposed new tariffs and Canada announced counter-tariffs. Carney has broken off trade talks with the United States and ordered Canadian negotiators back to Ottawa.

Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said Tuesday, as he unveiled Canada's response to the new US tariffs, that Canadians could use their purchasing power to choose Canadian products. Industry Minister Melanie Joly said choosing a Canadian product puts pressure on the United States and protects jobs in Canada.

The boycott has already affected stores and travel. American wines and spirits have disappeared from shelves in most Canadian provinces since US President Donald Trump launched his tariff offensive last year. In Montreal, supermarket manager Peter Gianopolis said customers were asking where products came from and often preferred Quebec products, even when they were more expensive.

Canadian tourism to the United States also fell last year, with the number of Canadians travelling there down 25%. The travel boycott has shown signs of easing in recent months. Canada's statistics agency said 2.3 million trips were made from Canada to the United States in June, up 5% from a year earlier.

Some US border-state tourism operators are offering discounts to Canadians. New York state has launched a “New York Loves Canada” initiative, with promotions for Canadians through the end of the year.

Canada's counter-tariffs are part of a wider trade clash with Washington. The dispute carries economic risk for Canada because the country is heavily dependent on exports to the United States.