Buy Canadian, eh?

Business owners, politicians, and citizens ready to fight back the economic storm coming from the U.S.

People across Kawartha Lakes are weighing in on the potential local economic impact of a tariff war between Canada and the U.S.

Despite concerns that businesses in the region will take a short-term hit, should a full-scale trade war ignite, the people Kawartha Lakes Weekly spoke with say they share a sense that the community will persevere.

Tensions of a looming trade war between Canada and the U.S. have dominated national headlines since Trump announced in January that his administration would be imposing a 25 per cent tariff on most Canadian exports to the U.S.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau immediately retaliated by pledging to impose 25 per cent tariffs on U.S. exports to Canada. However, on Feb. 3, Trudeau and Trump agreed to pause tariffs on each other’s country for up to 30 days. (Although at press time steel and aluminum tariffs of 25 per cent were still being imposed by the U.S.)

This isn’t the first time retired Kawartha Lakes businessman Brad Campkin has seen uncertain economic conditions.

Campkin recalls the 1973 oil crisis that saw members of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) impose an embargo against countries that sided with Israel during the 19-day Yom Kippur War that October.

Canada and the U.S. were among the countries the embargo targeted. At the time, Campkin’s father had recently started the family’s RV business, and there was uncertainty about the impact the crisis would have on the fledgling company.

“The general feeling was there was going to be a long-term oil shortage, and gasoline was being rationed in the States,” Campkin recalled. “Everyone said, ‘you are crazy; there will be no more gasoline.’ ”

But what still stands out for Campkin was his father’s reply to these concerns.

“I remember him saying something that really hit hard: ‘People still have to live; they won’t stop living.’ ”

Campkin eventually took over the business and would navigate it through several more crises, including high interest rates in the 1980s, a recession in the 1990s, the housing bubble of 2008 and, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The thing is, there will always be something or someone who will cause issues that you have no control over,” Campkin said. “It will always seem like the worst, and you always must stay positive and focus on what you can do.”

Julia Taylor owns Country Cupboard, a Fenelon Falls health food store. She said this is the first time she’s been concerned about the possibility of a trade war as a business owner.

However, Taylor said the present situation is reminiscent of the uncertain economic future businesses faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s just causing anxiety as we once again are on the edge of our seats wondering what is next,” she said.

Taylor added that, as a consumer, “it’s very important to me that we shop local and Canadian.”

Shopping locally, she noted, puts significant money back into the community.

“These are the businesses that support our community directly through donations and indirectly through their taxes,” she said. “We need them to survive.”

Kawartha Lakes Ward 3 Councillor Mike Perry said he’s been discussing the potential tariff war with local workers and small business owners in his ward.

He said most of those he’s spoken with expect challenges, such as increased operating costs, rising prices and fewer sales. Many business owners, he said, are looking for new suppliers in Canada or outside of the U.S.

Perry said he’s asked city staff about what the tariffs may mean in terms of increasing the costs of products the city buys.

“One thing these tariffs show is that we need more planned trade so not to be so vulnerable to these things,” he said.

Perry also said it’s encouraging to see Canadians unifying over Trump’s tariff threats.

“It’s great to see everyone coming together and coming up with some really creative ideas to respond to the tariffs,” he said.

Taylor said she’s also encouraged by the solidarity she’s seeing in the community.

“I know we will adapt and overcome (to) this turmoil and come out even stronger because that’s what Canadians do, and that’s what small business owners do,” she said.

“It is very evident that Canadians are ready and willing to stand up for Canada and use our consumer dollars to stand strong. That’s what I’m seeing and hearing in the community.”