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9 premiers agree to lift interprovincial trade barriers on alcohol products

Click to play video: '“We can dismantle the U.S.”: Doug Ford, other Canadian premiers react to Trump 50% tariff threat'
“We can dismantle the U.S.”: Doug Ford, other Canadian premiers react to Trump 50% tariff threat
Canadian premiers meeting in Charlottetown, P.E.I reacted on Tuesday to news that U.S. President Donald Trump was threatening to impose 50 per cent tariffs on most Canadian goods. The U.S. said Monday it will be imposing an additional 50 per cent tariff on Canadian imports due to retaliatory and “discriminatory” measures Canada took in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Speaking to reporters, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said that in his view, “We need a plan from the prime minister… If these (CUSMA) talks fail in 29 days we need to hit them back as hard as we can. I’m tired of the bully trying to take our lunch money, we need to stand up to the bully and hit them tariff-for-tariff… We have to go full tilt.” Ford continued, saying “We are an energy powerhouse and we can dismantle the U.S. if we wanted to.” B.C. Premier David Eby said “the idea of the president that he can bully us into whatever he wishes is incorrect.” “There is not a chance in hell that U.S. alcohol is going back on the shelf in British Columbia,” Eby added.

Canadian premiers say they have removed a major barrier to interprovincial sales of alcohol.

Under a new deal, nine premiers say they are updating rules to allow more Canadian brewers and distillers to sell alcohol directly to Canadian consumers outside of their home provinces.

This would lift barriers that make it more difficult or costly for manufacturers to sell alcohol outside their home provinces.

Some jurisdictions such as New Brunswick and Manitoba have already reached deals to permit more interprovincial sales of certain types of alcohol.

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All the provinces and the Yukon signed a memorandum last year committing to open their borders to direct consumer sales by May 2026.

In a statement, the premiers said that Quebec and Yukon were aiming to sign on to the agreement in the near future, while B.C. said it would allow companies to sell directly to consumers by February 2027.

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The push for direct to consumer sales is part of a larger effort to address interprovincial trade barriers across Canada.

The new deal also comes after U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to implement steep tariffs on Canadian beer, wine and spirits.

— With files from Jack Farrell in Edmonton

Click to play video: 'New Brunswick to allow direct-to-consumer alcohol sales with some other provinces'
New Brunswick to allow direct-to-consumer alcohol sales with some other provinces

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