We know: Donald Trump threatens to impose customs tariffs of 25% on Canadian goods from 1is FEBRUARY.
Published at 7:00 a.m.
Trump did not put these tariffs in place on Day 1 of his administration. This theoretically leaves a small window for countries to negotiate.
But when Washington promises to declare an “economic war” capable of sending thousands of Canadians out of work and causing an economic crisis, it is already destabilizing. Even tariffs of 10% could push Canada into recession.
I lived in the United States for seven years. I confirm it to you: we are simply not part of the Americans’ concerns. In a normal year, the average American thinks about Canada about as often as the average Canadian thinks about Iceland.
In the case of customs tariffs, that will have to change.
We saw it at Trump’s swearing-in: the bosses of Silicon Valley are close to the administration. Amazon, Tesla, Meta, Google and Apple are among the companies that need to stop receiving our dollars.
Our population is not huge. But, at 40 million, Canada has more people than California, the most populous state in the United States. It’s not nothing.
Here is a list of nine ways Canadians could harm American businesses if Trump follows through on his threats.
1. Unsubscribe from Netflix
Maybe because it’s very easy to do. And that it has a symbolic cultural significance. But unsubscribing from Netflix should be the first thing Canadians do in the event of an economic war launched by Washington. Netflix is the most popular subscription streaming video service in the country: 70% of Canadians viewed the platform in 2024. For comparison, the Canadian service Crave reaches 23% of the population. It would be a good idea to reverse this trend.
Tou.TV, the National Film Board of Canada, Télé-Québec, Kanopy, Pluto TV, Tubi, CBC Gem… There are numerous free video streaming services in Canada. To watch films and series, your local library probably also has hundreds of DVDs (for people who know what a DVD is…).
2. Boycott Costco and Walmart
Like many people, I really like Costco. However, in the event of an economic war, I would not hesitate to boycott the American channel. Same thing with Walmart.
With Costco, our power is actually very great: 75% of the company’s profits come from the sale of membership cards, which are often automatically renewed each year. The member service number in Canada is 1-800-463-3783. Only the primary member can request termination, and Costco will refund the current year’s membership fees.
Although Costco sells many Canadian products in Canada and supports local suppliers, canceling your subscription could send a clear message. Other options exist to support local producers, including independent food markets.
-3. Do not travel to the United States
My colleague Francis Vailles recently invited Quebecers who spend the winter in the South to boycott Florida. He received a flood of emails from Quebecers who intend to cancel their vacations planned in the United States in 2025. In the northeast of the country, the absence of tourists from Canada would undoubtedly be noticeable next summer. Better to go cool off in Lac Saint-Jean or Baie des Chaleurs this year. Or at Sandbanks. Or visit Western Canada.
Read “Energy and “snowbirds””, by Francis Vailles
4. Stop Buying iPhones
Apple products are often seen as essential. This is not a law of nature, rather a huge marketing success. I switched to the Android platform several years ago, and it was seamless. If you’re looking for a new phone, South Korean giant Samsung is a great option, both for high-end and cheaper models. They run Android, which is owned by Google, so it’s not perfect. But depriving Apple of the revenue generated by its flagship product would be a good first step.
5. Stop using Facebook and Instagram
Mark Zuckerberg’s platforms are used by millions of Canadians every day. Let’s stop giving them the attention they so covet. A good way to do this is to remove apps from our phone. We are less tempted by what we cannot see.
6. Boycott Tesla
No matter how much I search, I can’t find an example of a personality having as quickly and completely burned up their sympathy capital as Elon Musk. In just a few years, he has gone from a force of inspiration to a validation-seeking megalomaniac who makes neo-Nazis quiver with joy, reportedly has secret conversations with Vladimir Putin, and spreads conspiratorial disinformation. Sales of Tesla vehicles fell 41% in Germany last year, possibly in part because of Musk’s support of far-right candidates. If you’re looking for an electric vehicle from a non-US manufacturer, Polestar, Toyota, KIA, Hyundai, Nissan, Volvo and Volkswagen offer them, among others.
7. Stop buying American beer
It’s a joke: Americans don’t make beer. That said, at the supermarket and elsewhere, it is entirely possible to look at the labels and stop buying products from the United States.
8. Boycott Google
This one wouldn’t be easy, because Google is everywhere. But Qwant, a French search engine, is an alternative. Vivaldi is a web browser that replaces Chrome, and which you can download to your computer or phone. For maps and navigation, the app OpenStreetMap replaces Google Maps et Waze.
9. Boycott Amazon
With the announcement this week of the layoff of 1,700 employees in Quebec, a boycott of Amazon and its paid service Prime is already on many minds. Canadian Tire, Rona, La Baie, Simons, IKEA, H & M, La Source… Several large companies can fill the void left by Amazon. Platforms like Shopify support Canadian retailers, so deserve encouragement. You can also visit the Hello website which regularly offers discounts on purchases in local stores across Quebec.
Visit the Hello website
This list is not perfect. But it’s a start.
As former Republican elected official Adam Kinzinger wrote this week: “If you oppose Trump, you intimidate him and he will back down. But if you grovel in front of him, he won’t respect you and will eventually throw you under the bus. »
We cannot control the arrival of an economic war. But we control how we react to it.
