Close X
Friday, November 29, 2024
ADVT 
National

#BuyCanadian: Pocketbook Patriotism Takes Off Amid U.S. Trade Tensions

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 14 Jun, 2018 11:42 AM
    Social media users are pledging to #BuyCanadian amid a simmering trade standoff with the U.S., but experts say pocketbook patriotism may have unintended consequences on both sides of the border.
     
     
    Bonnie Hallman of Winnipeg says she cancelled a long-desired trip to Alaska shortly after President Donald Trump took aim at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for pushing back against American tariffs on steel and aluminum.
     
     
    The 53-year-old says she's now booked to visit P.E.I. next summer because she would rather spend her dollars towards supporting Canadian tourism.
     
     
    Scott Chamberlain, a father of four in Ottawa, says he's been trying to fill his grocery cart with mostly homegrown goods to bolster the Canadian producers who could be hardest hit by cross-border friction over trade.
     
     
    Robert Wolfe, a professor emeritus at Queen's University's School of Policy Studies, says the #BuyCanadian movement could fan the flames of a trade war in which no side would prevail unscathed.
     
     
    He says the mirror of 'buy Canadian' is 'buy American,' which could have a detrimental impact on Canadian companies trading in the U.S. market.
     
     
    "If it starts to escalate the Canada-U.S. tensions so that Americans begin to think we're actually just mad at them, as opposed to mad at their president, that could be difficult for Canada-U.S. relations, and ultimately, not good for the economy."
     
     
    Food economist Mike von Massow of the University of Guelph says a show of Canadian fiscal solidarity may buttress the country's position in trade negotiations, but swearing off American-made products is easier said than done.
     
     
    An online poll conducted by Abacus Data between June 1 to 6 — after Trump said he would impose tariffs on Canadian aluminum and steel but before trade tensions erupted at last week's G7 summit in Quebec — found that more than half of 2,200 Canadian surveyed reported that they intend to avoid buying U.S. wines and cross-border shopping.
     
     
    The polling industry's professional body, the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association, says online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not randomly sample the population.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    3-Yr-Old Boy Dies After Being Found In Vehicle In Burlington, Ont., Police Say

    3-Yr-Old Boy Dies After Being Found In Vehicle In Burlington, Ont., Police Say
    Halton regional police Insp. Anthony Odoardi says officers got a call at about 5:30 p.m. from a "hysterical" man, indicating that a child was in a vehicle and was not breathing.

    3-Yr-Old Boy Dies After Being Found In Vehicle In Burlington, Ont., Police Say

    Sleeping Woman Sexually Assaulted In Her Car At Surrey's Tannery Park: RCMP

    Sleeping Woman Sexually Assaulted In Her Car At Surrey's Tannery Park: RCMP
    Surrey RCMP is advising the public of an alleged sexual assault that this past weekend and are asking anyone with information to contact investigators.

    Sleeping Woman Sexually Assaulted In Her Car At Surrey's Tannery Park: RCMP

    Surrey RCMP Advising The Public Of An On-Going Sexual Assault Investigation In Newton

    Surrey RCMP Advising The Public Of An On-Going Sexual Assault Investigation In Newton
    The suspect is described as a South Asian male between 35-40 years old, 5'10 tall, with medium length hair, and a clean shaven face.

    Surrey RCMP Advising The Public Of An On-Going Sexual Assault Investigation In Newton

    Surrey Police Release Composite Sketch Of A South Asian Male In 2nd Sexual Assault Case

    Surrey Police Release Composite Sketch Of A South Asian Male In 2nd Sexual Assault Case
    Surrey RCMP is advising the public about an ongoing sexual assault investigation and is releasing a composite sketch of a suspect.

    Surrey Police Release Composite Sketch Of A South Asian Male In 2nd Sexual Assault Case

    Surrey RCMP Release Composite Sketch Of South Asian Suspect Who Approached Child

    Surrey RCMP Release Composite Sketch Of South Asian Suspect Who Approached Child
    The suspect is described as a Punjabi male, in his 40’s or younger in age, with a trimmed beard which had grey patches, and wearing a blue turban with orange underneath.

    Surrey RCMP Release Composite Sketch Of South Asian Suspect Who Approached Child

    South Asian Suspect Wanted for Break and Enter at Fertility Clinic in Brampton

    South Asian Suspect Wanted for Break and Enter at Fertility Clinic in Brampton
    Investigators from the 22 Division Criminal Investigation Bureau are investigating a commercial break and enter in the City of Brampton.

    South Asian Suspect Wanted for Break and Enter at Fertility Clinic in Brampton