By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
Business leaders, government officials, and economic experts gathered at the U.S.-Canada border in Newport on Mar. 18 for a roundtable discussion on the economic and social impact of President Trump’s trade war and the sweeping tariffs imposed on Canada. The event, hosted by U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), saw participation from a wide range of businesses from Vermont and Quebec, including representatives from Sherbrooke, highlighting the deep economic ties between the two regions.
Welch, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, opened the discussion with strong remarks against the tariffs, emphasizing the importance of U.S.-Canada relations. “I am absolutely horrified at these tariffs,” Welch stated. “I am appalled at what our president is saying about Canada in referencing to a 51st state. There’s no place for that. We are neighbours, we’re allies, we’re friends, and I want to keep it that way.”
Joining him was Marie-Claude Bibeau, MP for Compton-Stanstead, who echoed the sentiment that these tariffs pose a serious threat to economic stability and sovereignty. “This is not the right thing to do, not for your economy and not for ours either,” Bibeau said. She noted that Canada was prepared to retaliate with counter-tariffs while emphasizing the need for cooperation. “We are not going to let ourselves be bullied,” she said firmly.
Economic fallout: Business owners speak out
Representatives from both sides of the border expressed frustration over the uncertainty and financial strain caused by the tariffs. Dave Laforce, owner of Built By Newportwhose company has long-standing partnerships with Canadian suppliers, explained how the trade war was directly affecting operations. “We have a culture in our business to form long-lasting relationships with both our vendors and our customers,” he said. “The yo-yo of every hour, things changing, has been brutal.”
Denis Larue, president of J.A. Larue Inc, a snowblower manufacturer from Quebec, outlined the tangled supply chain that exists between Canada and the U.S. “We buy engines and components from the U.S., bring them to Canada to assemble into our machines, and then export them back to the U.S.,” he explained. “If we have to pay tariffs at every stage, prices will skyrocket, hurting American consumers just as much.”
Jody Spearing from UTV International, a Montreal-based manufacturer, highlighted concerns over how tariffs could disrupt production. “We have aggressive plans to launch new products in the U.S.,” he said. “If tariffs stay in place, we might have to reconsider those investments.”
