'Backlash': Trump policies could cost US $3 billion in Quebec tourism

Former President Joe Biden, during his fours years in the White House, made it clear that he considered Canada a valuable ally and trading partner of the United States. But under Donald Trump's second presidency, U.S./Canadian relations are taking a turn for the worse — from a proposed 25 percent tariff on all Canadian goods entering the U.S. to Trump saying that Canada needs to become "the 51st state."

According to many Trump critics, his proposal for Canada to become part of the U.S. would be especially problematic in Québec — a province where French is the dominant language and les Québécois are determined to keep it that way.

Québec shares borders with four northeastern U.S. states — New York, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont — and tourism is profitable in both countries. American tourists spend money in Montreal and Québec City; French-Canadian tourists spend money in the United States.

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But according to Montreal Gazette reporter Harry North, the U.S. stands to lose a lot of money if tourism from Québec plummets —possibly, billions of dollars.

North, in an article published on Thursday, February 27, reports, "Nearly half of Quebecers who had planned trips to the U.S. in 2025 have either cancelled or are reconsidering, according to findings announced Thursday by the Québec Tourism Industry Alliance. The fallout could lead to as much as $3 billion being pulled back from U.S. trips as vacationers rethink where they spend their travel dollars."

This "backlash," according to North, "follows Trump’s renewed threats of tariffs, including a proposed 25 per cent duty on Canadian goods."

"(Trump's) repeated jabs suggesting Canada should become the 51st U.S. state have also fueled anger and Canadian patriotism," North explains. "As a result, it seems that for many Quebecers, now isn't the time to visit the U.S."

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Trump, for 30 days, postponed the 25 percent tariff on Canadian and Mexican goods imported into the U.S. But he is now saying that those tariffs will go into effect on Tuesday, March 4.

Sébastien Bénédict, vice-president of public affairs at the Québec Tourism Industry Alliance, told the Montreal Gazette, "Fear and frustration are driving cancellations. Some people don't feel comfortable travelling to the U.S. right now, while others are angry about Trump's treatment of Canada. Conference bookings will likely take a hit, along with leisure travel. But whether the trend is a short-term protest or a lasting shift remains unclear…. There's so much uncertainty right now that it’s difficult to project beyond this year."

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Read the full Montreal Gazette article at this link.