Murray Wood: Should Saskatchewan reinstate the booze ban?
Murray Wood asks: It's obviously been effective and underscored how badly the U.S. needs Canadian customers....but what'...
TORONTO — The ban on American booze has emerged as a key sticking point in Canada’s trade negotiations with the United States, but some shoppers in Ontario say they won’t reach for California wine or Kentucky bourbon even if they reappear on store shelves.
The ban has been in place at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario and in most other provinces since 2025, in retaliation for President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Toronto resident Peter Olson said he won’t be buying any American alcohol if Ontario Premier Doug Ford decides to reverse course as the federal government seeks to secure a deal to avert new U.S. tariffs and address existing ones on steel, forestry and auto industries.
“I’m not buying it … I haven’t really missed it, so I think it’ll be all right,” Olson said outside a downtown LCBO store on Thursday.
“We’ve all sort of replaced everything with Canadian products, and there’s really nothing from the States that’s super special that’s going to make a big difference,” he added.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said Thursday that Prime Minister Mark Carney “effectively” told premiers in a briefing that there will be no trade deal without a pledge to restock U.S. booze. Kinew said that if the alcohol returns to Canadian shelves, people should “leave it there.”
Ford has been silent on the issue so far this week, but recently said that he’s open to bringing back American liquor if there’s a “fair deal” that protects sectors hit hard by tariffs, especially those in Ontario.
Alberta and Saskatchewan previously dropped their U.S. booze bans.
Marquita Stewart counts herself among those who are “absolutely, positively against” the return of American labels to Canadian shelves.
“We need to think about what the American president is doing to our country, and I have not a chance in the world that I’m going to support anything American. So yes, there should be pushback,” she said.
Shanna Nozdryn isn’t opposed to keeping the ban in place if it helps drive “bigger change” at the negotiating table, but admits she misses some American drinks.
“I’m happy to support Canadian any time, but I’m definitely missing the bourbon and having those nice sips at the end of the day. You definitely can’t match the U.S. bourbon,” she said.
Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Tony Wakeham said all premiers agreed to bring back U.S. booze in their call with Carney, but Ford has not confirmed that.
Other premiers also appeared to be keeping mum about their conversation with the prime minister. The offices of New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt and Prince Edward Island Premier Rob Lantz both declined on Thursday to comment until details of the trade deal are made public.
Back in Toronto, Connor Gillet said he and his husband won’t be buying American alcohol if it returns. He said that’s partly because they don’t consider themselves big drinkers, but also because they’ve committed to a broader boycott of American products, including those from companies that support Israel Defense Forces.
“I know that for me and my husband, we’ve been really vigilant and try to stay up to date on specific boycotts. It’s been pretty easy to boycott them for us,” he said.
“I think it’s fine to diversify our reliance on American goods so they’re not the only suppliers for our food or alcohol, things like that.”
Gillet predicted Ford will continue to push back on returning American booze to Ontario shelves.
He said while buying U.S. products is an expression of “freedom of choice,” he doesn’t plan to purchase American alcohol any time soon.
“I feel like we’re not really missing out.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 20, 2026
—With files from Ian Bickis in Winnipeg
Monique Kasonga, The Canadian Press
