The United States crossed a new threshold in its trade conflict with Ottawa on Tuesday, September 29, closing its market to a range of Canadian products — most notably alcoholic beverages. The ban covers all types of alcoholic drinks including beer, wine, and brandy, as well as whey protein, a popular dairy-derived protein, and large motorcycles with engines exceeding 800 cubic centimeters — vehicles that could compete with American-made Harley-Davidsons.
The White House had announced the measure on September 8, after Canada imposed new tariffs on American goods in retaliation for surtaxes Washington had placed on its own exports. “The problem is they treated the United States very unfairly,” the US president said from the Oval Office. “They behaved like one of the worst countries in the world. We get along well with China, we get along well with people, and we make good deals. But Canada has proven really very difficult to deal with,” he added.
Tariffs and Annexation Rhetoric Fuel Canadian Backlash
On September 8, the US executive also raised tariffs on a series of Canadian products, including cheeses. Days later, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described the new American measures as “relatively modest” overall. To justify the ban on importing alcoholic beverages, Donald Trump pointed to what he called a “discriminatory” boycott targeting American alcohol in Canada.
Canadians have pushed back against the new US tariffs, as well as against Donald Trump’s repeated calls to make their country the 51st American state. Since last year, American wines and spirits have disappeared from shelves in most Canadian provinces, which hold a monopoly on their sale.
Canadian Brewers Warn of Serious Consequences
While Canadian beer producers are overwhelmingly focused on the domestic market, the ban remains “serious” for those “who have spent years building a client base in the United States,” Richard Alexander, president of Beer Canada, said Monday.
- The ban targets all alcoholic beverages: beer, wine, and brandy
- Whey protein, a popular dairy-derived product, is also included
- Motorcycles over 800cc — potential competitors to Harley-Davidson — are affected
- The measure follows Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on US goods imposed in response to Washington’s surtaxes
- American alcohol has already been pulled from shelves in most Canadian provinces since last year
