Eby’s Booze Vow Hits The Tariff Table

David Eby chose the line. Last month, according to Canadian Press reporting carried by CityNews, he said there was “not a chance in hell” that American booze would go back on B.C. shelves.

Now that line has reached the tariff table. CityNews reported August 20 that Eby confirmed Ottawa briefed provinces and territories on the latest Canada-U.S. trade talks, and that he said the federal government had made “substantial progress across strategic sectors.” But the same report noted he did not address B.C.’s position on selling American alcohol.

That silence matters because other premiers are saying the alcohol ban is not a side issue. Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said Prime Minister Mark Carney asked provinces to restock U.S. alcohol as Canada finalizes a trade deal. The Canadian Press also reported Houston described the request as coming directly from the negotiating table.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew went further. In a separate Canadian Press report carried by CityNews Ottawa, Kinew said Carney effectively told premiers there would be no deal without a pledge to put U.S. alcohol back on shelves. The same report said all provinces and territories pulled U.S. booze in 2025 after U.S. tariff action, and that all but Alberta and Saskatchewan still had bans in place.

This is not just about whiskey, wine or shelf space. The trade talks are tied to sectors that employ Canadians and British Columbians: steel, aluminum, autos and lumber. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said he hoped a deal would reduce U.S. tariffs on those goods. For B.C., lumber is not a talking point; it is towns, mills, contractors, truckers and families.

That is exactly why Eby’s public posture deserves scrutiny. If the premier believed B.C.’s ban was a necessary act of economic resistance, he should say whether that remains the province’s position. If he now believes restoring access to U.S. alcohol is an acceptable concession to protect larger Canadian interests, he should say that too.

What he should not do is keep the tough-guy quote for domestic politics while letting Ottawa absorb the hard trade decision. British Columbians can handle a serious explanation. They are less likely to accept a communications strategy that turns loud at the microphone and vague when the bill comes due.

No agreement gives every side everything it wants. Eby is right about that. But accountability is not measured by whether a premier can produce a memorable line in a news cycle. It is measured by whether he can return to the public, state the current position plainly, and explain the cost of keeping it or changing it.

So the question is simple: is B.C. still holding the line on U.S. alcohol, or has Eby’s “not a chance” vow been traded into Ottawa’s tariff bargain?