Will you buy U.S. alcohol if it returns? Here’s what readers told us

Canadian and U.S. officials are up against the clock trying to finalize a trade deal, but one crucial piece of the puzzle remains in the hands of the provinces — the question of whether U.S. alcohol could be back on Canada’s shelves.

For more than a year, Canadian consumers across the country have gotten used to not seeing any American alcohol on the shelves of their provincial liquor stores.

Provincial boycotts of American alcohol have been a major trade irritant for U.S. President Donald Trump, who pointed to what he called “discriminatory” measures when he announced fresh tariffs on Canada last month, which were delayed until Saturday while both sides work on a trade deal.

Several premiers, including Nova Scotia’s Tim Houston and Manitoba’s Wab Kinew, have said that Prime Minister Mark Carney has asked provinces to restock American alcohol on their shelves as Canada finalizes that new trade deal, which could see Canada avoid these tariffs.

Most Canadian provinces, except Alberta and Saskatchewan, now have no U.S. alcohol on their shelves.

Carney’s request to put it back on does not guarantee that Canadians will jump for U.S. liquor the moment it is back on the shelves, Houston said on Wednesday evening.

“Whether Nova Scotians or Canadians will actually buy it when it gets back on, that’s a whole other discussion,” he said.

“Will you keep up a boycott of American alcohol even if it returns to shelves near you?” they were asked to weigh in on a recent article.

The vast majority of respondents said they would not be buying American liquors, even if their premiers put it back on the shelves.

“I will continue to boycott whatever American products that I can until Trump is gone. After that, it will depend on the political relationship between our countries,” said one reader, Darren O.

Another reader, Dana S, said her boycott of U.S. booze will continue “until the U.S. decides to renegotiate a new CUSMA deal.”

Many readers also said they would be boycotting all things American, including food products and travel.

“Not a chance. No to all things American until they start acting like an ally,” said Rich P.

For some readers, the move was tied directly to Trump and his Republican party.