Don’t buy U.S. booze if, when it’s back on Liquor Mart shelves: Kinew

Manitoba has not agreed to reintroduce American liquor onto liquor store shelves, despite Prime Minister Mark Carney's request while his government finalizes a trade deal with the United States to dodge new tariffs. Premier Wab Kinew suggested that Manitobans should purchase Canadian alcohol instead of U.S. products when they are available again in liquor stores.

"If we put the booze back on the shelves, don't buy it," Kinew advised Manitobans. The two countries reached a tentative trade deal just hours before Trump threatened to impose new 50 percent tariffs on Canadian goods worth around $28 billion. Carney asked provincial leaders to lift their boycotts once the deal with the U.S. is completed.

Kinew stated that Canada possesses the upper hand due to the "misguided" war in Iran, rising living costs, and the release of federal records tied to Jeffrey Epstein. He urged Canada to "fight more" for a better deal, noting that the U.S. president is in a weak position due to the aforementioned issues. Kinew also called for support for steel industry workers, including those at Selkirk’s Gerdau plant.

Opposition Tory Leader Obby Khan questioned Kinew's commitment to other aspects of the trade deal, focusing on Manitoba's agricultural, manufacturing, steel, and forestry industries.