Elected representatives from Vermont make a symbolic gesture by buying Quebec products

Vermonters came to Montreal's Jean-Talon Market to spend money and show solidarity with Canadians.

A delegation of elected representatives from Vermont went shopping at Montreal’s Jean Talon market on Saturday to protest against U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policy.

Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak and Vermont Treasury Secretary Mike Pieciak strolled the aisles of the city’s busiest market to buy Canadian products, which they paid for in US dollars at an exchange rate of par.

This symbolic gesture comes as the tug-of-war between Canada and the United States continues over the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, particularly in the steel, aluminum, energy and automotive sectors.

Dozens of people from both sides of the border gathered outside the entrance to the market, wearing buttons bearing the number 51 crossed out by an X, in reference to Trump’s comments on the annexation of Canada.

Mulvaney-Stanak expressed her support for Canadian traders, pointing out that her state’s economy and that of Canada have integrated over the years.

She acknowledged that the consequences of the tariff war were beginning to be felt in Vermont, citing a drop in tourism and a slowdown in trade with Canada.

Pieciak, for his part, was sympathetic to Canadians who choose to boycott American products, saying he was sorry that such action was necessary.

The event is a citizens’ initiative co-organized by Alain Saulnier, author of the book Tenir tête aux géants du web, and Miriam Hensen, a Montrealer who has lived in Vermont for 40 years.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 10, 2025.