BC's New Border Signs Carry a Message for Trump

Visitors driving into British Columbia may notice the new snark baked into the welcome. Premier David Eby on Tuesday unveiled border signs reading, "Welcome to British Columbia, Canada. Strong, proud, and will NEVER be the 51st state. Sorry!" The message comes amid escalating trade tensions with the US under President Trump, whose tariffs Eby called "unfair" and a disaster for working families on both sides of the border. "People will lose their jobs and businesses will close," Eby said, per the Vancouver Post, describing Trump as "clearly unhinged."

Citing Canadians' offer of "comfort, shelter and compassion" to stranded US travelers after the Sept. 11 attacks, Eby said their kindness shouldn't be seen as weakness. As Canada's counter-tariffs took effect Tuesday, he vowed BC will keep US alcohol off provincial shelves and is working with Ottawa on further measures to "punch back" while protecting Canadians, per the CBC. Trump's "disturbing" behavior has helped show the way forward, he said. Because "if our strategy depends on convincing Donald Trump of anything, then that is a failed strategy," he said. Instead, the focus is on "diversifying our trade relationships" and becoming "far less dependent on the United States."