An employee at a BC Liquor Store in Vancouver looks at a sign placed in the American whiskey section after U.S.-made products were removed from the shelves last year.ETHAN CAIRNS/The Canadian Press
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In the trade war between the U.S. and Canada, alcohol has been a bargaining chip on both sides of the border. Early in 2025, Canadian premiers pulled U.S. booze off of Canadian shelves. Then, last month, the Trump administration slapped a 50-per-cent duty on hundreds of Canadian goods including beer, wine, cider and most spirits. Notably, the U.S. cited the provincial shelf bans as justification for their tariffs. And now, the U.S. has implemented an outright ban on that same list of alcohol products.
Jennifer Robson, an associate professor of political management at Carleton University, will explain why booze has become a focal point amid continuing trade tensions.
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