N.B. residents near U.S. border wary yet resolute in face of possible tariffs

Waiting tables in the small community of St. Stephen, on the New Brunswick-United States border, gives Jennifer MacMichael a sense of the talk around town.

On Monday, the looming threat of U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods was echoed in conversations she overheard among patrons having breakfast at Carman's Diner, where she works as a server.

It's also an issue she herself has been talking about.

"I'm concerned about the economy ... and how will it affect business."

St. Stephen is a stone's thrown away from Calais, Maine, with the two separated by the St. Croix River.

Starting Tuesday most goods flowing south from St. Stephen — and the rest of Canada — were supposed to be subject to a 25 per cent tariff.  

However, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said late Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump will hold off on levying tariffs on Canada for at least 30 days.

Cutting down on border crossings

If the tariffs proceed after the 30-day reprieve, they are expected to have economic ramifications on both sides of the border, driving up prices for imported goods and potentially hindering business growth.

For MacMichael, who spoke to CBC News just hours before the reprieve was announced, she said she planned to cut down on the trips she takes across the border.

"You have to think of your own country first," she said.

Sylva Cassells lives near St. Stephen, and said the tariff threat has left her feeling "conflicted" about her relationships with the people and businesses across the border in Calais.

She said she has friends and family she cares about who live in Calais. She was also considering enrolling her son at a dance studio in that town.

With tariffs a possibility, she said she's rethinking her spending choices on the other side of the border.

"I want to support the people I know and love in Calais, but at the same time, I have trouble with supporting the tariffs and what's going to happen in our community as a whole for Canada," Cassells said.

Supporting Canadian

It's not uncommon for residents of St. Stephen to cross the border to shop for groceries and other goods in Maine, said Donald Hunter, who lives in St. Stephen.

He said while he's aware there are some deals to be had in doing so, he already avoids the practice in order to support Canadian businesses.

If the U.S. tariffs go ahead, he said he's going to be paying extra close attention to the origin of the products he buys here in Canada.

"I will try to avoid U.S. products," Hunter said, before the announcement of the 30-day hold.

Sheila Saban said she also does her best to support Canadian products, but all the talk about tariffs have strengthened her resolve to buy local.

She said items already off her shopping list include orange juice from Florida and a U.S.-made cat food she typically bought in the past.

Having moved from to the St. Stephen area from Niagara, Ont., last year, Saban said she's used to living near the U.S. border and enjoyed the sense of connectedness between the two nations.

With the tariffs, Saban said she feels like that connectedness been deeply shaken.

"[Canada] had an agreement that they negotiated with Trump several years ago. So it is a betrayal, and I think a lot of Canadians are feeling that way," she said.