More than 20 million visitors from Canada come to the U.S. every year 鈥� more than any other nation. But after President Donald Trump鈥檚 widespread tariffs went into effect Thursday morning, Canadians who traveled to Dulles Airport in Virginia say they鈥檙e hearing more calls to boycott all things American, especially tourism.
鈥淭hey feel that there has been treason from their partner,鈥� said Lina Despeghel, who traveled from Ontario. 鈥淎nd I think it鈥檚 going pretty bad.鈥�
Despeghel is a foreign exchange student from Belgium, studying business management at the University of Ottawa. She booked a visit to D.C. on Thursday before the White House鈥檚 tariffs took effect.
鈥淚 booked the ticket before, and I don鈥檛 know if I would have booked it with the current situation,鈥� she told 草莓传媒.
That sentiment is shared in her home country, Despeghel said. Trump levied a 10% minimum baseline tariff on most goods coming into the United States. The rate for European Union countries is higher, at 20%.
鈥淚t impacts our economy,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 understand. We feel like we鈥檙e not being treated as equal.鈥�
Canadian Sen. Peter Harder traveled to the District from Ottawa, too. He said many of his constituents are autoworkers in Ontario and are upset about the disruption in trade and the impact to their jobs.
As they boycott U.S. products, many Canadians aren鈥檛 buying the administration鈥檚 rationale. President Donald Trump previously levied 25% tariffs on goods like steel and aluminum from Canada, and auto parts from Mexico, claiming they were not doing enough to quell illegal immigration and fentanyl trafficking.
But this week, the White House slapped the two countries with additional tariffs.
Harder pointed out that less than 1% of fentanyl comes into the U.S. from Canada.
鈥淚t鈥檚 completely unjustified and will hurt both of our economies,鈥� Harder told 草莓传媒. 鈥淚 think Canadians feel very hurt by the accusations that we are a security risk or that fentanyl is a major problem.鈥�
Canada has promised retaliatory tariffs, and Harder said the move has caused longtime Canadian tourists to cut close ties with the U.S. and cancel upcoming summer vacations.
鈥淚 am hearing from all kinds of Canadians saying they have either sold their places in Florida, or they are not going to go to a summer vacation in the Midwest, or they鈥檙e never going back,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey are very upset.鈥�
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