Overview
- The province unveiled new signs to be posted at B.C.–Washington crossings, with one reading “Strong, proud and will NEVER be the 51st state,” and other signs offering metric tips, moose warnings, and slogans.
- The signage was revealed Tuesday as Canada’s dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs came into force after the U.S. imposed roughly 50% duties on about $28 billion in Canadian goods.
- Premier David Eby used the event to publicly criticize President Donald Trump’s social-media posts and called the memes “clearly unhinged,” framing the signs as a direct response to that rhetoric.
- B.C. is urging consumers to buy local, plans to boost the Buy BC effort, and says it is working with the federal government to design supports for small businesses while noting the province has limited fiscal room.
- Analysts and officials warn the tariffs could raise prices, threaten jobs in integrated supply chains, and prompt further escalation or legal challenges that would shape how long the dispute lasts.