As the Canada-U.S. trade dispute continues, many Canadians have questioned why Ottawa is not deploying stronger tactics against American tariffs. Observers and key figures have weighed in on various proposals, including export taxes on essential commodities. In 2025, Canadian products made up 63 percent of oil imported into the U.S., 81 percent of imported electricity, 99 percent of natural gas, and 80 percent of potash. Former prime minister Jean Chrétien and Don Drummond noted that export taxes are an option, but experts like Wolfgang Alschner warned that such measures could cause severe long-term damage to revenue and encourage the U.S. to seek alternative suppliers. Economists Trevor Tombe and Christopher Ragan, alongside Prime Minister Mark Carney, cautioned that using energy as leverage could unite Americans against Canada and undermine its reputation as a reliable trade partner. Meanwhile, provincial alcohol restrictions have faced mixed reception, with Saskatchewan adding a retaliatory levy on U.S. alcohol, though Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne emphasized that Canada’s response will remain strategic and proportionate. The U.S. has announced bans on most Canadian-made alcohol imports starting September 29. Regarding counter-tariffs, Tombe explained that Canada must target items that Americans cannot easily replace without hurting domestic importers. Other suggestions, such as closing the Welland Canal, were dismissed by trade lawyer John Boscariol and former U.S. trade official Jennifer Hillman, who warned that such an action would violate international law and harm Canadian businesses just as much as American ones.
Source: cbc.ca
