Air Canada still carrying U.S. alcohol as Ottawa pushes ‘Buy Canadian’

Air Canada is continuing to serve American alcohol on its flights, drawing criticism amid a Canadian government campaign to "Buy Canadian." The airline stated it carries a range of products reflecting customer preferences, including U.S. bourbon, while also featuring Canadian wines and spirits. This comes as Canada intensified its trade war with the U.S., imposing new counter-tariffs.

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As a global airline transporting international customers including to and from the U.S., Air Canada carries a range of onboard products that reflects our customer preferences.

Industry Minister Melanie Joly urged Canadians to support domestic products to protect jobs and resist U.S. actions. "When you choose a Canadian product, you’re not only putting pressure on the U.S., right now you’re protecting jobs," she said. "That’s how we can launch this movement of resistance to what is happening to us."

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We always feature at least one Canadian wine on every international flight, and we’ve made a deliberate shift toward Canadian spirits and Canadian producers. In addition to the range of Canadian products we proudly feature, we also carry some internationally recognized products that are particularly important to our global customer base, including U.S. bourbon.

Other Canadian airlines have different approaches. Porter Airlines confirmed it exclusively serves Canadian alcohol brands on its flights, highlighting Niagara wines and Alberta-based cocktails. WestJet and Air Transat did not respond to requests for comment on their alcohol offerings.

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When you choose a Canadian product, you’re not only putting pressure on the U.S., right now you’re protecting jobs.

The controversy gained traction after a social media post claimed Air Canada served Jack Daniel's on a flight, though the post was later removed from a "Buy Canadian" subreddit. The incident highlights the tension between global business practices and nationalistic consumer campaigns.

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That’s how we can launch this movement of resistance to what is happening to us.