U.S. President Donald Trump’s shot at Canada’s national sport has missed, with a 50 per cent tariff on hockey equipment set to be more provocative and symbolic than it is effective, a Quebec hockey stick company says.
Ice hockey sticks and equipment are on the extensive list of Canadian products hit with 50 per cent tariffs, alongside dairy products, alcohol, paper products, jewelry, sugar, clothes and a slew of other manufactured goods. The White House’s tariff announcement last month singled out hockey sticks, saying the tariffs will cover “products ranging from wine to hockey sticks to cement.”
“I’m surprised that they put official tariffs on Canada on hockey sticks itself, because it’s not aluminum, it’s not wood, it’s not agriculture,” said Hugo Lacasse, the CEO of Lévis-based company Force Hockey. “I think it’s just to be cocky. Donald Trump knows we love hockey. Why hockey sticks? That’s very provocative.”