Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she does not plan to retaliate against U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat of a 50 per cent tariff on Canadian goods with an alcohol ban.
She told her call-in radio show a ban is an extraordinary measure, and she is leaving it up to retailers and consumers to decide how to stock their shelves and whether to drink American products with the looming tariffs.
Several Canadian provincial liquor boards stopped purchasing American alcohol last year in response to Trump’s previous tariff threats and annexation comments.
While Saskatchewan and Alberta returned American booze to the shelves after a few months, major purchasing provinces like Ontario and Quebec have not resumed stocking U.S. alcohol.
It has become a pressure point among both political parties in the United States.
Smith says she prefers to stay calm and win the hearts and minds of Americans instead of retaliating with an alcohol ban.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 25, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.