Former Canadian Consul Warns Maine Bears Brunt of Tariff Policies as Cross-Border Commerce Feels the Strain

BRUNSWICK — Brenda Garrand spent six years as Maine's honorary consul for Canada, a role that gave her a front-row seat to the intertwined fates of two nations separated by a narrow strip of water.

Now, watching the fallout from Washington's tariff policies unfold, she sees consequences that extend far beyond abstract trade disputes.

"Maine and Canada are not merely trading partners," Garrand said. "We are neighbors, friends and, in many cases, family."

The numbers behind that assertion are striking. Canada remains Maine's largest trading partner, with cross-border commerce exceeding $6 billion in 2024. That year, Maine exported $1.3 billion in goods to Canada, representing 41 percent of all goods exported from the state.

Those figures translate to livelihoods for farmers, fishermen, forest-products companies, manufacturers, truckers, retailers and countless small businesses, Garrand said.

A Delicate Supply Chain

The lobster industry illustrates the complexity of the Maine-Canada relationship. A lobster landed on the Maine coast may travel to a processing facility in Canada before crossing the border again en route to final markets. Blueberries face a similar pattern, often moving north for processing before returning south.

Builders across Maine depend on Canadian lumber at a time when the state is already grappling with a severe housing shortage. Tariffs imposed at any point in these supply chains raise costs for everyone involved—fishermen, processors, wholesalers and retailers alike.

"The burden falls not on foreign governments, but on families and employers," Garrand said. "A tariff does not remain at the border. It moves through every stage of production and distribution before arriving as a higher price, a lost order or a threatened job."

The concern extends beyond immediate economic harm. Garrand warned that once overseas customers establish purchasing relationships with more dependable suppliers, those connections may never return to Maine.

Tourism Numbers Slide

Travel patterns tell a similar story. In 2024, nearly 800,000 Canadian visitors spent approximately $500 million in Maine. By the summer of 2025, however, the share of Maine visitors from Canada had dropped from 7 percent to 4 percent.

That decline affects hotels, restaurants, campgrounds, shops and cultural institutions stretching from Kittery to Fort Kent. Garrand noted that travel habits, once changed, prove difficult to reverse.

Beyond Commerce

The connections between Maine and Canada run deeper than trade ledgers. The two share ancestry, language, maritime culture and a commitment to environmental stewardship. They cooperate on public safety and jointly manage watersheds, fisheries and transportation corridors. Emergency response to storms, fires and other crises often requires coordination across the border.

These relationships developed gradually over generations, Garrand said, and deserve more than hasty sacrifice.

A Call for Clarity

Garrand acknowledged that sound trade policy can address genuine inequities and protect strategic industries. Such policy, she argued, should be disciplined, lawful and targeted toward specific problems rather than conducted through improvisation or the humiliation of allies.

She called on Maine's congressional delegation and business leaders to speak clearly and collectively about the stakes.

"Silence will not protect our industries or repair the damage later," she said.

Garrand acknowledged that tariff policies stem from legitimate questions about trade imbalances. But she emphasized that Canada is not an adversary.

"Punishing our closest neighbor ultimately punishes Maine—and weakens America," she said.

Brenda Garrand, of Rockland, served as honorary consul of Canada in Maine from 2015 to 2021. She spoke with Maine News Now during an interview at her home in Brunswick.