Officials and business owners in Washington state issued a plea to Canadians on Wednesday afternoon: we didn’t ask for U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war and please don’t forget about us.
“(Trump) doesn’t care if his absurd tax hikes are hurting our economy and our small businesses,” Washington State Senator Patty Murray said.
“The reality is plain as day, especially in places like Washington state, where we are on the frontline of a trade war with our neighbours that nobody asked for. Canada isn’t just a trading partner for us, it is our ally and they are our neighbour.”
Murray said that Canada is one of the state’s largest trading partners, accounting for nearly $8 billion in exports, including seafood, apples and airplane parts and more than $2 billion in cross-border tourism and business.
She said Washington state also imports nearly $18 billion in goods from Canada each year.
“So for us, having Trump throw a tantrum with these tariffs is really throwing a wrench into our businesses that have operated for decades and throwing communities on both sides of the border into chaos, and really throwing our neighbourly way of life into jeopardy,” Murray added.
“How are farmers supposed to stay afloat when Trump just jacked up the cost of supplies they need? At the same time, he’s driving some of their best customers away.”
Murray said hotel bookings in Washington state are down 75 per cent as Canadians have decided to travel elsewhere.
“It doesn’t take much imagination to see how hard Trump’s trade war is making life for people, especially for our border communities,” she said. “All you have to do is listen.”
Murray said this is a pointless, painful trade war.
“This is not reality TV,” she said.
“This is actual reality. These aren’t people playing businessman. They’re trying to run actual businesses that employ actual Americans. Unlike him, they don’t thrive on outrage and they do not want any drama. They need certainty. They need common sense. And they need policies that bring in customers, not drive them away and bring prices down, not drive them up.”
B.C. Premier David Eby said residents have always benefited from a relationship with the United States.
“The, trade war that we’re in right now, that neither Washington state nor British Columbia or Alaska asked for, but is being imposed on us by the president, is a recipe for mutually assured destruction,” he said.
Get breaking National news
For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
“The cuts this time are hurting small businesses, hurting families on both sides of the border. Inflation is up in the United States. Economic growth is down. A trend is going to continue. And we’re feeling it here in Canada, too.”
Eby said British Columbians are making the hard, but necessary decision to boycott U.S. goods and not visit the U.S.
“There’s no doubt that the longer this trade war continues, the more damage it’s going to do,” he said.
Eby said that he hopes that in good faith people can reach across the border and find a path back to where the two sides were before Trump’s second term.
“Until then, Canada is going to do our work to stand on our own two feet to ensure our sovereignty is respected, to diversify our markets,” he said.
“And, my hope is sincerely, when, the administration, when the government comes back to the table with Canada, you’ll find a stronger partner and a better partner and one, that is welcoming, the renewed relationship.”
Trump has announced he will impose 35 per cent tariffs on all imports from Canada starting Aug. 1. He has already applied 50 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminum and 25 per cent tariffs on cars, excluding U.S.-made parts.
Murray says that Canada is the second-largest export market for Washington state, which exports $7.9 billion in goods and $2.2 billion in services annually.
Washington state imports $17.8 billion in goods from Canada each year, according to Murray, with energy imports accounting for 54 per cent of that total.
Canada is also the largest source of international visitors to the U.S. but border crossings have dropped this June compared to last.
Border crossings compiled by Cascade Gateway and the Whatcom Council of Governments show that in 2024, there were 206,978 border crossings at the four B.C. ports of entry.
In 2025, there were 118,292 crossings, which is a decline of 43 per cent.
Dan Tucker, the executive director of the Whatcom Working Waterfront Coalition, a non-partisan representative of maritime industries, said several companies in the region are facing major cost increases due to tariffs and cross-border trade restrictions.
“Corvus Energy, for example, operates on both sides of the border, and they suffer a nearly 50 per cent tariff when sending U.S.-assembled battery systems to Canada for testing,” he said.
“Due to the Chinese components in them, they are disqualified from USMCA protections. Steel and aluminum tariffs add an additional 25 per cent on top of that.”
Drayton Harbor Oyster Company in Blaine rely on Canadian markets for oyster farming equipment sourced from New Zealand through Canadian suppliers, Tucker explained.
“There are no U.S. alternatives. These tariffs translate directly to higher costs for them.
“The blanket tariffs also threaten independent fishermen and tribal fishermen who rely on Canadian bait, deck gear and supplies throughout their seasons. Drayton Harbor Oyster has seen almost $100,000 drop in revenue over their last year due to the increase in equipment costs, but also due to the lower cross-border tourism.”
Tucker said even the threat of tariffs is causing volatility in market pricing.
“All American marine and aluminum boat manufacturers here in the region have seen copper pricing spike solely due to tariff speculation, just the threat of tariffs has destabilized their supply pricing, making it difficult to budget and making it impossible for them to forecast shipping costs and other planning,” he added.
Read the full article here
