Conflict Erupts Between Two Canadian Provinces Over Crown Royal Whiskey
Conflict Between Manitoba and Ontario
The Premier of Manitoba, Wab Kinew, and the Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, typically share a friendly relationship; however, they have recently begun to criticize each other over whiskey. At the center of this dispute is a Canadian whiskey brand owned by a British company, which is testing the unity of a "Team Canada" approach in light of tariffs imposed by the United States.
The conflict began when the whiskey producer, Diageo, announced it would close a bottling plant in Ontario and move it closer to consumers in the U.S. Following this announcement, Ford angrily poured a bottle of Crown Royal in front of journalists, declaring that the product would be removed from liquor stores in the province. This alarmed the neighboring province, Manitoba, where the Crown Royal distillery is a key employer in the small town of Gimli.
During a symbolic visit to the distillery in Gimli, Kinew urged Ford to "change his mind." “We understand, Doug, that you’re passionate and say things publicly, but we also understand that you do the right thing when you have the opportunity to reconsider,” Kinew stated.
The Crown Royal conflict—a Canadian whiskey brand introduced during King George VI's royal visit to Canada in 1939—dates back to August. At that time, Diageo announced it would close its Amherstburg, Ontario bottling plant after five decades of operation. The UK-based company stated last summer that it planned to close the plant in February, as part of a broader restructuring to improve its supply chain in North America.
Ford reacted strongly to the news, leveling harsh accusations at Diageo's owners and advocating for a boycott of the product. The company indicated that its bottling operations for Canada and non-U.S. markets would move to a facility in Quebec, southwest of Montreal. Although he did not state that any operations would be relocated to the U.S., Ford speculated that this would be the case.
Now, Manitoba is calling on Ford to reconsider his decision, warning that a boycott could harm Canadians. “When we talk about Team Canada, we need to remain united across provinces,” Kinew emphasized. “The Team Canada approach cannot mean targeting jobs in another province.”
