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It didn’t take long for the Empire to strike back.

LILLEY: Trump escalates trade war, targets Canadian whisky and more Back to video

Less than 24 hours after Canada’s retaliatory tariffs came into effect, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a new round of tariffs, contract exclusions and even a booze ban in response.

A series of executive orders signed on Tuesday take aim at Canada and Canadian products, including “Rye whiskies, other than Irish and Scotch whiskies, in containers each holding not over 4 liters.”

Essentially, Trump is now banning the importation of Canadian alcohol in retaliation for the American booze ban put into effect by every province and territory other than Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Trump’s retaliatory booze ban also applies to beer and wine, but it is the spirits side of the industry, and Canadian whisky in particular, that will be hit.

Of the roughly $1.5 billion CAD worth of Canadian alcohol sold to the United States each year, about $1 billion is in the spirits........

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