Vermont residents protest Trump administration as VP travels to ski
Protesters lined the route to a ski resort in Vermont on Saturday, March 1, where Vice President JD Vance and his family spent the weekend skiing.
Annie Gaillard via Storyful
A “Very Pale Ale” might be the solution to Vermont’s “desperate” attempts to attract Canadian tourists after President Donald Trump took office, according to a segment from “The Daily Show.”
Comedian Jordan Klepper visited Burlington to “investigate” what’s being done to pull Canadians back to vacation in the United States, as data shows declining tourism from America’s northern neighbor.
In June, the number of Canadian resident return trips from the United States was down 28.7% this year from last year, according to Statistics Canada.
Klepper attributed this to Trump’s comments about wanting to annex Canada as the “51st state,” as well as the ongoing trade war.
“Americans and Canadians have been best friends for decades – until this guy came along,” Klepper said in the segment, as a photo of Trump appeared on the screen.
What officials, business owners in Vermont are saying about declining Canadian tourism
When asked by Klepper how “business was going” in Burlington, Kelly Devine, the executive director of the Burlington Business Association, said companies were struggling.
“Not so great, actually. You know, it’s been slow,” Devine said on “The Daily Show.”
Vermont State Treasurer Mike Pieciak said Canadians’ credit card spending in the state was down around 40%.
“People get their feelings hurt and then they don’t want to come here,” said Shelley MacDonald, owner of Belleville Bakery in Burlington.
How Vermonters are trying to ‘win back’ Canadian tourists
In the show segment, several business owners showed Klepper what they were doing to extend olive branches to Canadian tourists.
MacDonald revealed two “Canadian-friendly” stickers on the front of her Burlington bakery – one with the Canadian flag and the other with the flag of Quebec.
“Not every idea’s going to be a winner,” Klepper quipped.
Marc Sherman, of the Outdoor Gear Exchange, said the store has a sign that says “Canadians are welcome.” This prompted some further jokes from Klepper.
The comedian then took a jab at the temporary renaming of Burlington’s Church Street to Canada Street, saying the city council was “putting country over God.”
“Yes, actually, I had not thought about it in those terms,” responded Jeff Lawson, vice president for tourism and marketing at Hello Burlington.
“Whatever it takes to get those loonies,” Klepper shrugged, referring to Canada’s one-dollar coins.
Burlington woman apologizes to Canada
Klepper also interviewed Karen Chickering, a Vermonter who trekked up to Sutton, Canada, to apologize on behalf of her country.
“I made a little poster and brought it to different stores,” Chickering said in the video. “Yeah, I was apologizing.”
She showed Klepper a handmade sign that said “Vermont loves Canada,” and “Neighbors by chance, friends by choice.”
“I want to know – how many Canadians accepted your apology and how many left you crying in a Tim Horton’s parking lot?” Klepper asked.
“I wasn’t in Tim Hortons,” Chickering said, seemingly missing the joke.
“Did you even go to Canada?” Klepper asked.
Klepper visits Vermont Brewers Festival
Klepper ended the “Daily Show” segment with a visit to the Vermont Brewers Festival, which also felt the effects of declining tourism.
Emma Arian of the Vermont Brewers Association said the July festival expected to sell about 700 tickets to Canadian visitors, but actually sold just 50.
However, the festival is trying its best to bring Canadians over to drink some beer.
“We are getting rid of the exchange rate, there’s a ‘Bienvenue Canadians’ line, we’ve got three Montreal breweries down here,” Arian said.
When Klepper asked a Canadian man named Alex what brought him down to the festival, he responded, “Just the beer.”
Upon reflecting with other Canadians, Klepper concluded that beer “was the answer” to the American-Canadian feud.
“I have a concoction that knows no borders. It is not American and it’s not Canadian. It is something that is friendship,” Klepper said.
The comedian revealed a can of beer with his face on it, called “Jordan Klepper’s Very Pale Ale” which he then proceeded to distribute. He did add one special ingredient – maple syrup.
