​​Canada Not for Sale: Patriotic Consumerism Amid Geopolitical Threats

Once the results of the United States (US) Presidential Election were finalised on November 6th, 2024, it was clear that the working relationship between the US and Canada was set to shift significantly. Nearly one month before election day, Donald Trump had signalled that he would renegotiate the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), a trade deal he himself had negotiated and ratified during his first term as President. However, weeks following his election, Trump vowed to impose a blanket 25% tariff on all products from Canada and Mexico upon taking office. The temperature continued to increase when Trump suggested Canada should become the 51st state in the US if it cannot withstand the effects of the 25% tariff. Initially perceived as a joke, Trump repeated his assertion as political turmoil began to grow in Canada, following the resignation of then Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland on December 16th, 2024, and then again following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation on January 6th, 2025. Following his swearing in on January 20th, 2025, Trump followed through on his commitment and has since signed a series of executive orders imposing tariffs on Canada, along with nearly every other country around the world. This article examines how these actions have since shifted consumer behaviour throughout Canadian society.