Across the country, Canadians are defiant in boycotting American goods and travel even as Trump promises another temporary reprieve.
www.bbc.com
Bourbon is out, patriotism is in - How Canadians are facing Trump threats head on
Not long after the US imposed their tariffs on Canada, a local neighbourhood pub in Toronto began removing all American products off their menu.
...
"I'm glad that we're getting rid of American products and supporting local businesses," Ms Russell told the BBC on Thursday. "I think it's an important thing to do."
...
Some of the backlash has been more symbolic, like one Montreal café changing the Americano on their menu to a "Canadiano" - a small gesture that the owners say is meant to display unity and support for their community and country.
Even the CBC, the country's public broadcaster, is feeling the full force of this wave of patriotism, after it dared run a programme asking Canadians what they think about Canada becoming "the 51st state", as Trump has suggested many times.
The show sparked intense backlash and accusations of "treason," "sedition" and even "betrayal".
...
Although Trump has since lifted some of the tariffs imposed this week and put others on pause until 2 April, many Canadians say the damage has already been done.
After Thursday's reversal, foreign minister Melanie Joly told CNN that Canada has been shown "too much disrespect by the Trump administration at this point, calling us a 51st state, calling our prime minister 'governor.'"
Meanwhile, Doug Ford, who is the leader of Canada's most populous province, did not back down from his plan to slap export tariffs on electricity that Canada supplies some US states. The 25% surcharge will affect up to 1.5 million American homes.
"I feel terrible for the American people because it's not the American people, and it's not even elected officials, it's one person," he told a local radio show on Thursday in reference to Trump.
"He's coming after his closest friends, closest allies in the world and it's going to absolutely devastate both economies," Ford said.
...
"You go to bed every night and don't have any idea where you stand," said Andrew, a shopper at a Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) store in Toronto, which has stopped stocking US-made alcoholic drinks, like bourbon from Kentucky. Trump says he will delay the tariffs, "but what does that mean?" he asks.
"Let's keep [American-made drinks] off the shelves until we know what things are going to be from day to day."
...
Even with the tariffs being scaled back temporarily, the uncertainty alone is hurting both American and Canadian economies, says Rob Gillezeau, an assistant professor of economic analysis and policy at the University of Toronto.
...
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has condemned the tariffs, suggesting they align with Trump's stated desire to see Canada become "the 51st state."
"What he wants is to see a total collapse of the Canadian economy, because that'll make it easier to annex us," Trudeau told media in Ottawa Thursday.
Prof Gillezeau notes that it is an especially deep wound from a neighbour whom Canada had long considered its closest friend and ally.
The US and Canada have fought wars together, have boasted about having the longest "undefended" shared border in the world and have even engaged in joint security missions in the Arctic to defend each other's sovereignty.
"We've been allies for 100 years," he says, adding that many Canadians are likely upset not just with how the US has been treating Canada, but also other allies like Ukraine.
"We're a decent, honourable people, and we stand by our allies," Prof Gillezeau says. "I think that's what is driving the real depth of the discontent we see."
...