Premier David Eby is continuing to discourage British Columbians from travelling south of the border until a pending trade war is resolved, despite a recent rally by residents of Port Angeles encouraging Vancouver Islanders to visit.
“If you do have a choice about where you travel with your family, if you do have a choice about how you spend your money, [I] strongly discourage people from going to the States until this is resolved,” Eby said in a media availability Wednesday.
About 150 people waving handmade welcome signs and Canadian flags were on hand to greet passengers disembarking from the Coho ferry on its first run of the season from Victoria to Port Angeles, Washington, on Feb. 20.
Such welcoming parties are a tradition for the first sailing but this month’s edition was beefed up with the threat of Canadians boycotting travel to the U.S. to protest U.S. President Donald Trump’s threatened 25 per cent tariffs, and suggestions that Canada become a 51st state.
“I know it’s hard for so many people — I have family myself in the U.S. and I know people have family and loved ones and business interests that they have to travel for and an absolute rule is not going to work for everyone,” said Eby. “We’re too integrated — that’s the whole point of our objection to what the U.S. is doing.”
At the same time, however, “anything we can do to put pressure on the Americans” is worthwhile, Eby said, noting Canadians spend “billions” in the United States on travel, which a travel boycott will put in jeopardy.
“I know a lot of people are making that decision and I’m hearing about it.”
Eby said the encouraging part of the recent Port Angeles event was the opportunity to hear from “actual real life Americans who are, like, ‘We don’t understand why this is happening, we support Canadians, we like Canadians, this is ridiculous and social media is not real life.’ ”
The premier said the Americans he interacts with can’t understand why Trump is making the trade threats and talking about making Canada a 51st state.
“They see Canada as a friend and an ally and if nothing else, a benevolent and neutral neighbour, and they’re really struggling with knowing why this is happening and just saying, like, ‘I’m sorry about the president.”
Sam Grello, executive director of the Port Angeles Waterfront District, who helped organize the welcome party at Port Angeles, told the Times Colonist many of the city’s downtown businesses rely on the tourists who use the ferry.
A study commissioned by Black Ball Ferry in 2019 estimated that passenger and cargo traffic from Victoria brings about $64 million a year in economic benefit to the region, and supports about 700 jobs.
Eby said he can’t count the number of Americans who have apologized to him for the president’s words and actions.
”I’m grateful for that, and I’m sure other Canadians are hearing that as well,” he said, noting Americans have long been Canada’s friends and will continue to be in the future. “We’ll get through this.”
