Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew is pausing the removal of U.S. alcohol from liquor store shelves in the province.
Kinew made the announcement Monday after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted on social media that the U.S. will hold off on levying 25 per cent tariffs on Canada for at least the next 30 days.
The premier said this is a reprieve and the situation is going to continue to play out in the long term.
“This is a sign that our efforts have been effective at a provincial level,” he said.
Kinew said there is still a need to “Trump-proof” Canada’s economy, including searching for more diverse export markets, and that productivity investments in Manitoba need to move forward.
I just had a good call with President Trump. Canada is implementing our $1.3 billion border plan — reinforcing the border with new choppers, technology and personnel, enhanced coordination with our American partners, and increased resources to stop the flow of fentanyl. Nearly…
—@JustinTrudeau
There’s a greater need to look for export partners in the European Union, Asia and other parts of the globe, he said.
Manitoba also needs to get better at “making stuff,” including in the technological, agricultural and mining sectors, so there’s less reliance on the U.S. market, he said.
“It’s very clear that we have to start planning our economy to be more resilient and to be able to withstand these sort of situations, so that we don’t find ourselves in a similar position going forward,” Kinew said.
Discussions about barring U.S. companies from bidding on provincial contracts are also on hold, the premier said.
Earlier Monday, the premier said he was looking for ways to prevent U.S. companies from bidding on provincial contracts in response to the 25 per cent tariff that U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened to impose on almost all Canadian goods starting Tuesday.
“We have no quarrel with the American people. These are our friends. These are our relatives,” Kinew said.
“But if their president is trying to take food out of our mouths, is trying to take jobs out of our province, then we have to stand up for ourselves.”
Manitoba cabinet ministers with portfolios tied to the economy were asked to look at potential changes to procurement procedures, Kinew said earlier Monday, before Trudeau posted about the tariff delay. Kinew spoke just before meeting with Manitoba’s new U.S. Trade Council and community leaders at the legislative building in Winnipeg to discuss the province’s response to the expected tariffs.
The new trade council includes labour, business and Indigenous leaders, as well as representatives of the agriculture, mineral development and transportation industries.
“Unity is our strength, and I think we see the strength of our province represented around the table here,” Kinew said at the start of the meeting, before it went behind closed doors.
“It’s clear the current situation is much more than a trade dispute. This is also an attack on Canadian sovereignty and as a result of that … it’s important that we have a broader discussion than just exclusively trade issues and economic issues.”