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Vancouver City Councillor Advocates for Local Buy-In Amid U.S. Tariff Threats

A city councillor in Vancouver is taking steps to align local policies with national efforts to support Canadian businesses in response to escalating trade tensions. Green Councillor Pete Fry has introduced a motion aimed at mobilizing the city to participate in the “Team Canada” initiative, which encourages purchasing goods and services from Canadian suppliers as a countermeasure to potential tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

According to Fry, the proposed motion calls for a comprehensive review of the city’s capital projects, suppliers, procurement strategies, and exposure to trade agreements, with a particular focus on how to aggressively prioritize Canadian-made products. In a social media post, he emphasized, “Trump’s tariffs pose a grave threat to our national economy,” highlighting the urgency of the situation.

Fry’s initiative is set to be discussed at an upcoming council meeting, where he will urge fellow councillors to join the “buy local” campaign. “As a Council, City and as Canadians I’m confident we will come together,” he stated, underlining the importance of collective action.

The motion also seeks to empower Vancouver’s business and economy office to collaborate with local businesses and industry associations in launching an active “buy local” campaign aimed at stimulating the local economy.

Trump’s announcement of a 25 percent tariff on Canadian goods, effective Tuesday, has raised significant alarm. His administration has cited issues such as border concerns and trade imbalances as motivations for the tariffs, framing them within a broader narrative of economic conflict.

In reaction to these developments, the federal government has prepared its own set of retaliatory tariffs targeting U.S. products worth billions of dollars. Meanwhile, the B.C. government has taken measures such as removing products from red states from local liquor store shelves and has encouraged government agencies to prioritize Canadian procurement. B.C. companies are also shifting their focus to redirect critical mineral supplies away from U.S. markets.

Both provincial and federal governments are increasingly promoting campaigns that urge Canadians to support their local businesses, reinforcing a sense of national solidarity amidst the trade dispute.

As these economic tensions evolve, the actions taken by local governments like Vancouver’s may play a crucial role in bolstering the national economy and fostering a culture of local support in the face of international challenges.

Source
globalnews.ca