Canadian musician Matthew Good cancels U.S. shows due to Trump administration

Matthew Good poses in Toronto on Jan. 22, 2018. (Chris Young / The Canadian Press)

Canadian musician Matthew Good says he’s cancelling his U.S. tour dates because of President Donald Trump’s government.

The “Load Me Up” rocker is pointing to Canada’s cancellation of the digital services tax as a main factor in the decision.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced late last month that Canada would cancel the planned tax as a condition of resuming trade talks with the U.S.

In a social media post, Good says Canada is “backing down” from the tax to “appease” the Trump administration.

The tax was to apply to all big tech companies that operate online marketplaces or advertising services and social media platforms, and those that earn revenue from the sale of user data.

Good says he was worried that if he spoke negatively about Trump, he might be stopped at the border or have his visa rejected, so he bit his tongue even though he wanted to speak up.

“I can’t stand by and be quiet while our amazing country is bullied into walking away from billions in needed revenue, constantly left wondering if we actually have a partner or an enemy to the south,” he wrote in the post.

Good was scheduled to perform in Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Buffalo in the coming days. He’s encouraging fans to show their support for the band Texas King, which would have joined him at the shows.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 12, 2025.