Crown Royal Controversy: A Battle Between Manitoba and Ontario

Thu Jan 15 2026 00:37:06 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The spats over Crown Royal whisky between Ontario and Manitoba highlight the challenges of maintaining national unity amid trade tensions with the U.S. after Diageo announces a bottling plant closure in Ontario.

A brewing disagreement between Ontario's Premier Doug Ford and Manitoba's Premier Wab Kinew over Crown Royal whisky underscores the impact of trade decisions on provincial relationships in Canada. Ford's vow to boycott the brand following a plant closure announcement by Diageo has elicited concerns from Kinew, who warns that such actions could harm jobs in Manitoba. The whisky's legacy dates back to 1939, and this public dispute challenges the essence of Canada's 'Team Canada' approach amidst rising U.S. tariffs.

A British-owned, Canadian-made whisky is at the centre of a spat between two provinces that is testing a unified 'Team Canada' approach in the face of US tariffs.

It started after the whisky maker, Diageo, said it will shut down a bottling plant in Ontario to move it closer to US consumers.

Soon after, Ontario Premier Doug Ford angrily poured out a bottle of Crown Royal in front of reporters, and now says the product will be removed from provincial liquor stores. This has alarmed neighbouring Manitoba, where a Crown Royal distillery is a key employer in the small town of Gimli.

In a symbolic visit to the Gimli distillery, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew urged Ford to 'do a 180'.

We understand, Doug, that you get fired up and say things in public, Kinew said. But we also understand that you do the right thing when you have a chance to reconsider.

The row over Crown Royal – a Canadian whisky brand that was introduced during the 1939 royal tour of Canada by King George VI – dates back to August.

That's when Diageo first announced it would close its Amherstburg, Ontario, bottling facility after five decades of operations.

The UK-based company said last summer it planned to close the plant in February as part of a broader restructuring to improve its North American supply chain, and – to Ford's dismay – move bottling operations closer to the US.

Here's what I think about Crown Royal, he said shortly after Diageo's announcement, before pouring an entire bottle of the whisky on the ground during a news conference and calling Diageo owners dumb as a bag of hammers.

He then vowed to 'hurt' the firm and urged Canadians to boycott the product.

The company has said bottling operations for Canada and non-US markets are set to move to a Quebec facility southwest of Montreal.

While it has not said it will shift any operations to the US, Ford has speculated that they will.

It's all going to Alabama, he said earlier this month. Mark my words.

The Liquor Board of Ontario is the largest wholesale purchaser of alcohol in North America, further complicating the dynamics.

Manitoba has since pleaded with Ford to change course.

The Crown Royal distillery plant is a major driver for business in the town of Gimli, home to about 2,300 people, said Kinew.

He warned Ford that he could inadvertently hurt Canadians with the boycott.

When we're talking about Team Canada, we have to stay united across the provinces, Kinew said.

Having a Team Canada approach can't mean targeting jobs in another province.

Ford's actions against Diageo have been applauded by local unions representing workers at the Amherstburg plant. Still, Premier Kinew's outreach to Ford highlights the precarious balance in provincial relationships amid economic pressures and international trade policies.

Ford confirmed he received Kinew's invitation to meet but has not committed to a visit, stating, No, I'm not reconsidering his boycott of Crown Royal.