Trump’s tariff pause won’t get U.S. booze back on shelves, Kinew says

By: Free Press staff Posted: 3:28 PM CST Thursday, Mar. 6, 2025 Last Modified: 4:11 PM CST Thursday, Mar. 6, 2025 | Updates

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Premier Wab Kinew says American booze won’t return to Liquor Mart shelves until the U.S. drops its tariffs.

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Premier Wab Kinew says American booze won’t return to Liquor Mart shelves until the U.S. drops its tariffs.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/03/2025 (213 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Premier Wab Kinew says American booze won’t return to Liquor Mart shelves until the U.S. drops its tariffs.

“A reprieve until April 2 is not good enough,” Kinew said during question period at the legislature Thursday when asked what steps he was taking to respond to the trade war launched Tuesday by the U.S. when it slapped sweeping 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods and a 10 per cent tax on power imports from Canada.

On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump issued exemptions on tariffs for a wide range of goods imported to the U.S. from Canada and Mexico.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES
The province has pulled American booze from Liquor Mart shelves on Tuesday, and U.S. booze won’t return to shelves until the U.S. drops its tariff threat completely, Premier Wab Kinew said Thursday. — MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES

The province has pulled American booze from Liquor Mart shelves on Tuesday, and U.S. booze won’t return to shelves until the U.S. drops its tariff threat completely, Premier Wab Kinew said Thursday.

The exemption would apply to goods compliant with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico free trade deal signed during Trump’s first presidency and will last until April 2, when Trump plans another round of retaliatory tariffs on goods from several countries.

“We’re insisting all threats of tariffs be dropped,” Kinew said. “Our counter-measures will remain.”

The measures include deferring payroll and retail sales taxes for Manitoba businesses impacted by the American trade sanctions.

“We’re standing up for Manitoba,” he said. “This is a time for us to rally around the flag.”

Also Thursday, the Manitoba government introduced amendments to the Government Purchases Act that would prioritize Canadian suppliers.

As a result of the “Buy Canadian Act,” the province would establish a buy Canadian policy for government departments in which preferential treatment may be given to Canadian suppliers.

March 4 Order in Council on Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries