California lawmakers are urging Quebec’s premier to put American liquor back on the shelves. He will not move

California lawmaker Mike Thompson says it’s in the best interest of both Canadians and Californians for Quebec to lift its restrictions on US alcohol imports.

“California makes the best wine in the world. We have been working for a long time to build good trade relations with our Canadian friends,” said the Democratic Congressman. As It Happened hosted by Nil Köksal.

“It’s important to us, and it’s important to our Canadian neighbors, that they have access to this great wine.”

Thompson is one of 14 California lawmakers, from both sides of the aisle, who signed a letter to Quebec Premier Christine Frechetteurging him to put US wines and spirits back on the shelves, despite Canada’s ongoing trade war with the US

Frechette, however, shows no signs of backing down.

“In light of the ongoing trade war, the premier continues to protect Quebec’s economic interests,” said a Frechette spokesperson.

“This measure will remain in place as long as the United States maintains these unreasonable costs. Our government will reassess its position when the American administration reverses these measures.”

The US wine industry is booming, while Canada is growing

Several Canadian provincial liquor boards stopped buying American liquor last year because of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs and threats of a takeover.

While Saskatchewan and Alberta have put American liquor back on the shelves, major buying provinces like Ontario and Quebec are holding firm.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford told reporters in Washington last month that he would accept American alcohol if the Canada-US-Mexico Trade Agreement, known as CUMSA, is renewed – something Trump has, so far, refused to do.

“We will not back down,” said Ford on social media. “The quickest and only way to get US liquor back on Ontario shelves is for the US to lower its illegal tariffs in Canada.”

Boycott of course which has a real impact south of the border.

According to trade data from the US Census Bureau, wine sales from the US to Canada will drop by 77 percent to $343 million between 2024 and 2025.

The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States said a retaliatory ban in Canada would lead to a 63 percent drop in US spirits sales in that market by 2025.

But Thomson says the alcohol ban isn’t hurting Trump.

“Boycotting American products, especially California wine, doesn’t move the needle,” he said. “The only people disadvantaged are Canadian consumers and California producers.”

Thomson and other members of the California congress argued that, because there is such a large market for US wine in Quebec, it is in Canada’s economic interest to ease the restrictions.

But while the US wine industry is thriving, local wine sales are reaping the benefits. Wine sales in Quebec and Ontario have increased significantly since the ban went into effect, in 70 percent again 83%.respectively.

“American brands being taken off the shelves, it’s giving new consumers a chance to try us,” Michelle Wasylyshen, president and CEO of Ontario Craft Wineries, told CBC News earlier this year.

American lawmakers are fighting

In addition to Thompson, the letter to Frechette was signed by California Democratic Reps. Jimmy Panetta, Julia Brownley, Salud Carbajal, Gil Cisneros, Jim Costa, John Garamendi, Jimmy Gomez, Doris Matsui, Dave Min, and Kevin Mullin; Republican Representative David Valadao and Young Kim; and former Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

But they are not alone in their effort to end the ban on alcohol.

Adam Schiff, a Democrat senator from California, also wrote a letter to Frechette last month asking Quebec to lift the restrictions.

“I urge the Canadian government to see that California does not agree with these tax wars, to remove these restrictions, and to increase consumer options to strengthen both of our economies,” he said on social media.

But not everyone asks well.

Republican Representative Claudia Tenney of New York introduced the National Alcohol Abuse Prevention by Allies Act – or the CANADA Act – in the US House of Representatives for investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.

If that investigation finds unfair trade practices, the United States can respond with tariffs or other import restrictions.

“Canadian provinces cannot be allowed to hold American producers, brewers and brewpubs hostage and try to bail them out,” Tenney said in a statement.

Thompson says, when it comes to the US-Canada trade war and Trump’s threats to Canadian sovereignty, California is on Canada’s side.

“The state of California will no longer be able to pass where this president is. We have an incredibly good relationship with our Canadian friends,” he said.

“Nowhere is that more evident than in our wine trade.”