Don't 'mess with Alaska,' U.S. senator warns B.C., even as state Republicans affirm friendship with Canada

As state-level Republicans in Alaska work to affirm their close relationship with Canada amid U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war and threats of annexation, an Alaskan senator has warned British Columbia's premier that "you don't want to mess with Alaska."

Dan Sullivan of the Republican Party, who represents Alaska in the U.S. Senate, made the remarks in an interview with an Anchorage radio station posted to his Facebook page.

During the conversation, which touched on topics ranging from energy development to Ukraine, Sullivan, one of two senators who represent the state in Washington, was asked about B.C. introducing legislation that grants the province the ability to levy new fees on U.S. commercial trucks heading to Alaska.

"I don't know the premiers of the different provinces but it is a bit of a dangerous game," Sullivan said before launching into his desire to repeal, either through the senate or by executive order from Trump, the Passenger Vessel Services Act. 

Under the act, foreign-built ships are not allowed to carry passengers between two U.S. ports without a stopover in a foreign country. The law is meant to protect U.S. shipping interests, much the same as the Jones Act which applies the same rules to cargo ships.

Many Alaska-bound cruise ships stop in B.C. — primarily Vancouver but also Nanaimo, Victoria and Prince Rupert — bringing in significant tourism revenue to the province's economy.

Sullivan says he would like to see that rule repealed, noting it was done when COVID-19 restrictions were in place.

"Canada, you don't want to mess with Alaska. And if you do, we are going to work hard on having our cruise ships bypass your ports, and that will help our economy tremendously," Sullivan said. "They're playing a dangerous game here, and I hope they back down."

'We can't imagine Alaska without Canada'

B.C. Premier David Eby said he had no current plans to enact tolls but he wants the ability to do so should Trump escalate his actions against Canada.

"This is not something that we would do lightly," he told reporters Friday. "We know the consequences for Alaskans are a big deal. We would expect them to respond in kind. Trade wars only hurt people."

He hopes Alaskans worried about the fallout of a trade war will speak up.

"We need Alaskans to send a message to Donald Trump about how intertwined we are, about the connections between our economies," he said.

That message was heard in Alaska's state capitol building on Friday afternoon when Republican Rep. Chuck Kopp tabled a House Joint Resolution, Recognizing and honoring the relationship between Canada and Alaska, which he described as "an unqualified affirmation of the strong bonds of friendship, shared history, mutual defence and support that have bound our state to Canada over centuries."

An almost identical Senate Joint Resolution is also moving through Alaska's senate, sponsored by Republican Cathy Giessel, who has also spoken out against the trade war.

"The friendship, trust and affection that we hold for our Canadian neighbours extends to their identity as citizens of the sovereign nation of Canada," Kopp said at Friday's meeting, gesturing to a map of the two countries. "We can't imagine Alaska without Canada."

Kopp and several other speakers highlighted the joint effort to build the Alaska Highway from northern B.C. to Alaska during the Second World War, as well as the number of families and friendships that span both sides of the border.

Also invited to speak was Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai, the president of the Arctic Winter Games and several members of the border community of Skagway, Alaska. 

Skagway Vice-Mayor Deb Potter called on politicians to "think of Alaskans over your party," and encouraged them to affirm the resolution, which is still moving through the house.

Kopp said he hoped the messages coming from Alaskans would be heard by the powers that be elsewhere in the United States.

"The temperature is rising between the countries based on economic reasons," he said. "This resolution recognizes that relationships matter and are far more important than maybe the almighty dollar at times."