Donald Trump may soon get American alcohol back onto Canadian shelves, but that does not mean he gets our money. Canada and the United States appear close to a trade agreement, and Prime Minister Mark Carney has asked the premiers to restore American alcohol sales if an agreement is reached. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew believes Canada still has leverage and should keep fighting.
Whatever governments decide, Canadian consumers still have a choice. Kinew is right. Putting American bottles back on the shelves will only help American producers if Canadians buy them. According to the Wine Institute, American wine exports to Canada fell 78 per cent between 2024 and 2026. Provincial restrictions created that pressure. If those products return and Canadians leave them there, distributors will have little reason to keep ordering them.
During the past eighteen months, we discovered beer, wine and spirits produced here in Canada. We began spending that money on Canadian farms, breweries, wineries, distilleries and workers. A trade agreement does not require us to surrender those habits.
Here is my challenge. Midterm elections in the US are on November 3. For at least the next 75 days, let’s keep choosing alcohol made in Canada.
Name your favourite Canadian beer, wine or spirit in the comments. If someone names an American bottle they used to buy, help them find a Canadian replacement.
Governments can decide what appears on the shelf, but we can still fight with our wallets. If American alcohol returns, leave it there.
Let’s make Premier Kinew proud.
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#LeaveItThere
