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British Columbia Premier David Eby says the province will not restore U.S. alcohol sales to government liquor stores, arguing the measure has become one of Canada’s most effective tools in its ongoing trade dispute with President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n
Speaking Tuesday in Surrey, Eby defended British Columbia’s decision to keep American beer, wine and spirits off store shelves despite criticism from the province’s Conservative opposition, which has urged the government to abandon the boycott as a goodwill gesture in negotiations with the United States.<\/p>\n
“We will never put U.S. alcohol back on the shelves,” Eby said, calling the policy “the only leverage that appears to be catching the attention of the president,” according to CTV News<\/a>.<\/p>\n The White House last week cited provincial bans on U.S. alcohol sales when announcing increased tariffs on certain Canadian goods, escalating the trade dispute between the two countries.<\/p>\n Eby argued that lifting the alcohol ban now would amount to abandoning British Columbia’s forestry sector, which continues to face steep U.S. tariffs.<\/p>\n “I think that approach for British Columbia is the right approach,” he said, adding that reversing course would “sell out” forestry workers and their families.<\/p>\n The premier also accused the B.C. Conservatives of undermining the province’s negotiating position after party leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay and several caucus members met privately with U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra earlier this month.<\/p>\n Following that meeting, Conservative forestry critic Ward Stamer publicly called on the province to scrap the U.S. alcohol ban as a bargaining chip and demonstrate good faith toward American officials.<\/p>\n The party later argued that British Columbia’s decision to remove U.S. alcohol from shelves helped provoke the White House’s latest tariff increase, saying residents are now “paying the price.”<\/p>\n Eby’s comments come as Canadian provinces continue pursuing different strategies in response to Trump’s trade actions. While British Columbia has maintained its alcohol boycott, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has said her province will not remove American alcohol from store shelves.<\/p>\n Rather than criticizing Alberta’s approach, Eby suggested the differing provincial strategies have unintentionally benefited Canada by creating multiple lines of communication with U.S. officials.<\/p>\n “One of the strengths of our approach as premiers has been that across the country there have been slightly different levels of engagement with the U.S. administration,” Eby said, adding that the various approaches have created additional opportunities for advocacy.<\/p>\n Earlier this month, Eby also met with Hoekstra. According to the premier’s office, he reaffirmed British Columbia’s commitment to keeping U.S. alcohol off store shelves until a broader trade agreement is reached.<\/p>\n Eby’s comments double down on his remarks from last week, when he said there’s “not a chance in hell<\/a>” American alcohol would return to Canadian shelves.<\/p>\n The dispute over alcohol imports has become one of the most visible flashpoints in the ongoing U.S.-Canada trade conflict, with several provinces removing American alcoholic beverages from government-run liquor stores in response to U.S. tariffs.<\/p>\n