Manitoba premier says he’s looking for ways to ban U.S. companies from bids

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says the government will take steps to protect jobs if President Donald Trump imposes tariffs.

The Manitoba government is looking for ways to prevent companies in the United States from bidding on provincial contracts as another retaliatory measure against tariffs on Canadian goods threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Cabinet ministers whose portfolios are linked to the economy have been tasked with reviewing the provincial government’s procurement procedures with an eye to restricting bids from south of the border, Premier Wab Kinew said Monday.

“We have no quarrel with the American people. These are our friends. These are our relatives,” Kinew said.

“But if their president is trying to take food out of our mouths, is trying to take jobs out of our province, then we have to stand up for ourselves.”

Kinew made the remarks at the start of a meeting with members of his recently established U.S. Trade Council -- a group that includes representatives of business and labour organizations as well as individual employers.

The meeting came a day after Manitoba and several other provinces announced plans to pull U.S. liquor products from store shelves. Kinew promised further measures later this week, all in response to Trump’s plan to impose broad tariffs on Canadian goods, set to begin Tuesday.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault has also talked about restricting American access to public contracts, while Ontario Premier Doug Ford said his province will terminate a $100-million contract with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to deliver high-speed internet to remote areas.

Kinew invited Indigenous leaders to be part of Monday’s meeting, saying more than trade is at stake.

“It’s clear that the current situation is much more than just a trade dispute. This is also an attack on Canadian sovereignty. And as a result of that being brought forward by the American president, I think that it’s important that we have a broader discussion than just exclusively trade issues and economic issues,” Kinew said.

The head of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce said there was widespread support among those at the meeting for the retaliatory measures the province has taken to date, along with a desire to be less reliant on trade with the U.S.

“Do we need to focus in terms of increasing our own productivity? Do we need to focus on growing our own local economy and investing in some of those key transportation elements that are going to help us get to new markets?” said Chuck Davidson, the group’s president and chief executive officer.

“I think everything’s on the table and the premier’s been willing to listen and to take input, and I think that’s something that’s going to be key as we move forward.”

Kinew has hinted at other steps the province is considering, including tax deferrals for businesses hurt by U.S. tariffs and a formal ad campaign to encourage people to buy Canadian goods.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 3, 2025