Canada Launches Billboard Campaign in US to Protest President Trump’s Tariffs
Canada is running an advertising campaign across a dozen US states in opposition to President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
The Canadian government has purchased billboards along major highways in 12 states and Washington DC with the message “Tariffs are a tax.” The campaign began in February, following Trump’s announcement of sweeping 25 percent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods, with some exceptions under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
According to a report from Michigan’s MLive, Global Affairs Canada spokesman John Babcock said the billboard effort is part of an “educational campaign to inform Americans” about the economic consequences of tariffs.
“Tariffs are a tax on hard-working Americans in their daily lives. They lead to increased costs on everyday essentials, including fuel and groceries,” Babcock said in a statement.
Last week, Trump expanded the tariffs to additional countries as part of what the White House has dubbed “Liberation Day.”
“Taxpayers have been ripped off for more than 50 years,” Trump said during the announcement. “But it is not going to happen anymore.”
In response, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office issued a statement condemning the US actions. “[T]he United States administration announced a series of unwarranted and unjustified tariffs that will fundamentally change the international trading system. While some important elements of the Canada U.S. trade relationship have been preserved, new tariffs on automobiles have now entered into force. These are on top of the previously announced tariffs, including those on steel and aluminum, which remain in place.”
The statement continued, “The U.S. tariffs will do harm to American workers and businesses, but Canada will also be impacted, with every Canadian feeling the effects. The Government of Canada’s position has always been clear: we will fight these tariffs, protect our workers, and build the strongest economy in the G7.”
