Canadians have long been boycotting American goods. Then came the latest wave of tariffs.
Trade talks between the US and Canada fell apart on Friday, and the US enforced a 50% tariff on some Canadian goods the following day. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney quickly proposed dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs.
Many Canadians were already fed up with their neighbors down south. Some previously chose to stop buying American products; others suspended their travel to America.
On social media and in interviews with Business Insider, Canadians say that the breakdown in talks has reinvigorated their push to stop buying US goods.
Carney quickly worked to turn the tariffs into a unifying force.
"Canada has what the world wants," he wrote on Friday night. "We will not allow any nation to determine our future. We will set our own course to keep Canada strong for all."
It's hard to know whether the messaging works, though there are some signs. Eurasia Group founder Ian Bremmer wrote on X that he had never seen Canadians from all political viewpoints "so angry" with the US.
Time to launch a full blown no holds barred boycott of American products and services. Trump wants a fight, let’s bring it. Who’s with me?
Tyler Black keeps hearing about it. The 49-year-old child psychiatrist told Business Insider that, if you went for a walk in his hometown of Vancouver, there was a 50/50 chance you'd hear about the tariffs.
"I'm not kidding," he said. "Random conversations I'm walking by are talking about Trump and Carney, and what America just did. We're feeling very attacked."
Take a smarter break in your day – and see how far you get.
Black is one of many Canadians who say they have boycotted American goods since President Donald Trump's reelection. Over the weekend, more people were pledging to join the boycott, he said. "It's what we're all talking about."
On X, users are reviving the #BoycottUSA tag. Redditors posted infographics about supporting "Buy Canadian" during the tariffs, and Europeans wondered if they should join in. TikToks cheering on retaliatory tariffs got thousands of likes.
Economic boycotts rarely have a material effect on the business or businesses in the crosshairs. Still, there are some cases, like the Target boycott movement. And a boycott can ruffle feathers. In July, the White House called Canada's treatment of US products "discriminatory."
🇨🇦Canada is asking the rest of the world to join us in boycotting all American products. Thank You ❤️
Source: Read the original article on www.businessinsider.com
