B.C. Premier David Eby provided an update on the province’s response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs against Canada.
In a press conference Monday morning, Eby announced that all American beer, wine, spirits, and refreshment beverages will be removed from the shelves of BC Liquor stores.
The move comes after Eby announced last week that B.C. would be stopping the sales of liquor from red states only.
“Since then, we have seen a threat of additional tariffs on the dairy industry, an investigation into our lumber industry by the president with the aim of adding even more tariffs and disturbing articles in the New York Times and other places about the president threatening to redraw our borders and pursue Canadian water,” Eby said to reporters.
“The reaction of British Columbians, myself included, is if the president is so interested in Canadian water, then we’re going to help him out by letting him keep his watery beer.”
He noted that his previous decision to target red states was to “send a message to Republicans to pressure the Republican president.”
Since then, he said he’s received feedback from many British Columbians who said they no longer want to see American bottles on government liquor store shelves, prompting the expansion of the province’s response to remove all US-made products.
“So we’re sending that strong message, and we’re responding to what British Columbians are asking for, and we’re removing the remainder of the products.”
The premier also said that the province will introduce legislation to allow it to add tariffs to U.S. trucks travelling through B.C. to Alaska.
In a statement, the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) said it has halted the importation of all U.S.-made liquor products.
“U.S.-made products will continue to be available for purchase through LDB wholesale distribution channels (i.e. for purchase by private liquor stores, restaurants, bars and pubs) until existing inventory in British Columbia sells through,” stated the LDB.
On Thursday, Trump announced that he would be pausing the 25% tariffs on most Canadian goods until April 2, but he followed up with new threats on Friday to slap additional tariffs on dairy and lumber.