It appears the political climate in the United States is stopping some Maritimers from travelling across the border this summer.
From President Donald Trump’s recent Twitter attacks on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, to his administration's controversial border-protection policies that see the forced separation of migrant children from their parents, some Maritimers say they have no intention of visiting the U.S. anytime soon.
“I’ve had people say they do not want to travel to the United States, specifically because of the person that’s at the top right now,” says Diane Burden, a travel agent in the Halifax area.
“I don’t really know how welcome people are there, and it’s not necessarily with Canada, it's with everybody, so as a tourist, I think that it’s probably not so good to go there right now,” says Halifax resident Heather Best.
Some Canadians are even boycotting American goods in their everyday shopping, but experts say that can be tricky.
“If you’re looking to buy a car, you’re looking to buy a Chrysler or a Ford or GM, you can say, ‘Ok, I’m not buying American,’ but those cars are made in Canada,” explains Michael Whalen, an associate professor in the Department of Business and Tourism at Mount Saint Vincent University.
“You might say, ‘I’m going to buy Japanese instead,’ but Subarus, Toyotas, what have you, many of those models are made in the United States.”
Whalen says products from cars to ketchup contain components from across the world, so a widespread buying boycott is difficult to do. But a tourism boycott is more specific and could have an impact on the American economy.
“If you’re going to Florida for the winter, or New York to watch a show, you’re buying American,” he says.
Some people are sharing their boycott plans on social media using the hashtag #BoycottUSA. One woman says she cancelled a trip through Maine while another announced plans to visit Atlantic Canada instead of California. One Twitter user says they even cancelled a cruise and trip to Disney World, instead opting for a Mexican vacation.
I was planning a road trip that would take me through Maine on my way to NS. Now I can’t fathom spending any of my hard earned cash in your country. I don’t blame the citizens but I gather you can understand the position the rest of the world is in. #BoycottUSA
— Maureen Spillane (@MoeSpillane) June 10, 2018
Just cancelled all plans to go to California, will be discovering our own beautiful east coast by road this fall!! :) #BoycottUSA #BuyCanadian
— Hamad E (@Realistology) June 13, 2018
It’s official. I just cancelled my @WaltDisneyWorld @DisneyParks vacation and @RoyalCaribbean cruise. I will not give one cent to a bully country. #BoycottUSA Mexico here we come ��
— you can do better (@everydayme2017) June 19, 2018
Burden says many of her customers are staying in Canada this summer, with the Rocky Mountains and Newfoundland and Labrador being popular travel destinations.
“People are travelling within the country more, much more,” she says.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Emily Baron-Cadloff
