Buy-Canadian movement holding strong in Ottawa amid Trump’s ‘nasty’ comments

The buy Canadian movement continues in Ottawa as the U.S. ambassador expresses President Trump’s frustrations during trade dispute. CTV’s Katie Griffin reports.

Canadians avoiding travel to the United States and bans on American alcohol are among the reasons U.S. President Donald Trump called Canada “mean and nasty” to deal with this week, but that rhetoric seems to be strengthening the buy Canadian movement.

“We’re up still double last year this past week, so even after Canada Day, the push to buy Canadian is sustaining,” said Gareth Davies, owner and founder of Maker House on Wellington Street.

The store is made up of all-Canadian products from more than 250 makers across the country.

Trump’s views were made public by U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra at a conference in Washington State this week.

Pete Hoekstra told the conference that such steps “don’t send positive signals” about Canada treating the United States well.

Ontario is among the provinces that banned the sale of U.S. alcohol from government-run stores after Trump slapped tariffs on goods from Canada.

“I feel if he’s calling us nasty, it’s projection,” said Keith Williams. “That seems to be a bit of his playbook, constantly throwing names and calling names and whatnot, and accusing people of the very things that he himself does.”

Williams and his wife are visiting Ottawa from Cambridge, Ont. and have decided to travel within Canada this summer.

“We usually like taking trips to the States because there was so much to do, so much to see. But now, we’ve been finding that coming to places around Canada it’s a lot better,” explains Jackie Mahoney.

“We just really like supporting Canada right now and so we’ve been avoiding the States for the moment.”

New data shows there were about 26,000 fewer cross-border trips from eastern Ontario into New York State in June — the fifth straight month seeing a decline.

“We have to respect our country, to respect ourselves. And there’s no way that we’re going to spend money in the United States for probably many years to come,” said Suzanne Verville.

B.C. Premier David Eby says it appears the efforts of Canadians to stand up to Trump’s tariffs are having an impact.

“I think Trump is Trump,” said Teresa von Teichman. “What he says go through one ear and out the other.”

With files from The Canadian Press

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