Nunavut pulls U.S.-made liquor off shelves in response to Trump’s tariffs
Territory ‘fully supports’ Canada’s retaliation against the U.S. tariffs, premier says
Premier P.J. Akeeagok talks to reporters about the newly imposed 25 per cent U.S. tariffs on Canadian imports Tuesday at the legislative assembly. (Photo by Arty Sarkisian)
The Canada-U.S. trade war will likely lead to higher prices for everything from groceries to homebuilding, says Premier P.J. Akeeagok.
“Whether it’s the cost of living for the everyday foods that people rely on, all the way to construction, whether it’s the work that we’re doing on Nunavut 3000 or any of our major capital projects we were hoping to do,” the tariffs imposed Tuesday by U.S. President Donald Trump and Canada’s retaliatory tariffs will be felt in Nunavut, Akeeagok told reporters.
Trump had threatened to impose 25 per cent tariffs on most Canadian goods coming into his country since late last year. They finally took effect Tuesday, and immediately prompted retaliatory tariffs from the Canadian government.
Canada has imposed 25 per cent counter-tariffs on $30 billion worth of American goods immediately, which will expand to cover another $125 billion in U.S. products 21 days later, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced.
At a news conference in Ottawa, he called the U.S. tariffs a “dumb thing to do” and “predatory behaviour.”
“I won’t sugarcoat it, this is going to be tough,” Trudeau said.
Nunavut took its own retaliatory measures Tuesday. It’s joining other jurisdictions, such as Ontario, and is pulling American-produced alcohol from the shelves at Nunavut Liquor and Cannabis Commission stores. Those products currently account for $600,000 to $700,000 of the inventory, Lorne Kusugak, the minister responsible for the commission, said in the legislature Tuesday.
The commission has also stopped purchasing alcohol produced in the U.S.
In February, Trump gave a one-month reprieve on tariffs after Canada and Mexico — which was hit by similar tariffs Tuesday — promised increased action on border security and a crackdown on fentanyl smuggling.
But on Monday, Trump said that there was “no room left for Mexico or for Canada” to avoid the new tariffs.
“If the U.S. refuses to reverse course, we are prepared to go even further” than what was announced by Trudeau, said Gary Anandasangaree, Canada’s northern affairs minister, in a speech Tuesday.
The Government of Nunavut issued a statement Tuesday in response to the U.S. tariffs.
Although Nunavut does not directly export products to the U.S., the territory relies heavily on imports from the southern market so Nunavut is “vulnerable to rising costs and supply chain disruptions,” it said.
The Department of Community and Government Services is tasked with monitoring those disruptions. It will work with contractors and suppliers to ensure projects remain viable.
“Everything that comes up here originates from southern Canada, which in turn has a direct connection to our neighbour to the south,” Akeeagok told reporters. Nunavut “fully supports” the federal government in its retaliation against the American tariffs, he added.
Akeeagok and Canada’s other premiers discussed relief measures for people who might be impacted by the trade war during a phone call with Trudeau on Tuesday.
“We stand united with the prime minister and with all the premiers that we must act to defend Canada,” Akeeagok said.
“During the conversation, it was very evident that we’re very united and that we will stand as a united front in terms of showcasing our supports to Canadians, and so that’s the feeling I had coming out of that call.”
Akeeagok said “it’s been incredible to see the sense of pride of being a Canadian, the sense of pride of supporting Canada, and that Canada-first is being felt from coast to coast to coast and it’s no different here.”
With files from Jeff Pelletier and Nehaa Bimal
For years and years Canada’s tariffs imposed on the USA are… on copper 48%, eggs 163%, steel 25%, Aluminum 45%, bovine/meat 26.5%, wheat 94%, cars 45%, chicken 238% from Global affairs Canada.
Canadian taxes… Income tax, CPP tax, unemployment tax, gst tax, hst tax, pst tax, property tax, provincial/territorial income tax, excise tax (alcohol/tobaccos), capital gains tax, land transfer tax, luxury tax, media tax, regulation tax, air travel tax.
If food prices go up, they are not caused by USA tariffs, but by Canada. Have you heard any Nunavut MP, MLA, Premier or Inuit Orgs over the past weeks, months having serious talks with the Liberals/NDP, not to put tariffs on food?
Absolutely not, have “sense of pride” supporting Canada by intentionally making food more expensive.
No worries, Parliament MPs on April 1st will get a pay raise between $7,900 to $15,800.
Hear any of the above demanding to fix the border, go after the cartels, stop the meth/fentanyl manufacturing for worldwide export, money laundering and human/child trafficking, happening large scale across Canada?
Oh, April 1st the carbon tax increases 23%. But silence.
They just put a ton of money into the border.
if you think the border is why trump is actually putting tariffs on Canada, you’ve been swindled.
Trump hates Trudeau… be sure nothing will be resolved until that ‘problem of ours is finally gone.
There is enough loony toonie happening south of our border and we don’t need any of it. You are free to become a US citizen or immigrate to Russia and leave us be.
We will vote for our next PM freely and enjoy our own country thank you.
My comments are descriptive; i.e. Trump hates Trudeau.
Not normative, i.e. Trump should chose our next PM.
I totally get that you might not have any clue what that distinction means or that you’ve probably never heard those terms. If you feel disoriented, don’t worry too much. Accept your limitations and just move on.
That is only a proposal. Parliament needs to be sitting to be vote on that expenditure. The whit will drop soon after the libral leadership race, with a general election soon thereafter. It will be months before that money is even considered for approval.
Did you forget your tinfoil hat today? You clearly do not understand tariffs and are parroting the same nonsense as the MAGA crowd. It’s Trump’s fault food prices are about to go up (Guess what potash is used for…)
Well done Premier, MLAs, and GN for making this move! Canadian beer is better anyway.
Wow, tariffs existed BEFORE Trump?! What a gotcha you have there. I just knew this had to be Trudeau’s fault all along!
In reality, however, it is normal countries to have some tariffs in place to protect certain industries. What IS new, are blanket tariffs enacted by countries with whom we have standing trade agreements (in this case the USMCA negotiated by no one other than Trump himself).
As for the red herring of border security, 1% of fentanyl seized at US borders comes from Canada. These new tariffs have as much to do with drugs as they do with unicorn farts, and everything to do with Trump destabilizing our economy.
The tooted 1%… it’s what is seized at Canada’s porous borders. It’s off the charts what gets through. $1.7 billion worth of tons of methamphetamine smuggled from Canada to Austrailia and New Zealand, hidden in maple syrup and canola oil shipments. 83% of illicit drugs found in shipments to Austrailia originates from Canada. One man imported to Canada 90 tons of precursors for meth and fentanyl production over two years. Strange, the over the top anger on tariffs, a tax. But as if controlled to look the other way and accept not to fix the problem told to fix.
Last paragraph and quote of the article.
Just too funny.
Jack Daniels and Buddy Weiser must be gasping and shaking with fear or… falling down laughing.
Thank God , i m a Vodka (Smirnoff) guy , still have something to drink during this war.
Seriously people, where are the adults? The I’m taking my ball and going home mentality is childish. Do you really think this foolish rhetoric will help or this action make a difference? Seriously, will the adults please stand up!! This is all smoke and mirrors!!
Don’t order any more U.S. booze, fine let’s do that.
But tell me they’re not going to destroy the existing supply that is already bought and paid for? The symbolic gesture is not worth $600-700,000.
I’ll just leave this here. Quoted from Nunatsiaq article called, prices-of-perishable-goods-may-go-up-almost-immediately-retailer-says.
Note the words ‘to avoid’ followed by ‘Canadian tariff’.
“For instance, instead of buying oranges from California, wholesalers might source them from Mexico in order to avoid the Canadian tariff on American imports. But that will take time, Wilson said.”
Probably sold them out first and made it to the news.