Canadian musician cancels US tour in protest of Donald Trump’s tariffs
Canadian singer Matthew Good has cancelled his upcoming tour of the United States to protest President Donald Trump‘s tariffs on his native country.
The musician posted a lengthy statement on Facebook on July 12th to announce the news. In it, he said he couldn’t “in good conscience carry out my dates this summer in your country.”
Good continued: “This is not fair to you [the fans], and I’m very well aware of that, but the truth is, every week that goes by, I have a deeper disdain for what’s going on there politically,” before adding that he is “willing to risk my future US career, to stand up against things today.”
Rising to fame as one of the most successful alternative artists in Canada since the 1990s and 2000s, Good first formed the Matthew Good Band before going solo in 2002, during which he has become an active advocate for political causes.
He was due to begin his tour of the US on July 15th in Cleveland, Ohio, before travelling across the country throughout the rest of the summer.
Contextualising his political stance, Good noted in his statement: “I can’t stand by and be quiet while our amazing country is bullied into walking away from billions in needed revenue, constantly left wondering if we actually have a partner or an enemy to the south, and equally as tragic, supporting someone who has completely bastardized the institution of art and culture in the US.”
He is the latest in a line of Canadian artists who have hit out at Trump’s tariffs and purported plans to take over the country as the 51st state of America, as Michael Bublé proclaimed at this year’s Juno Awards in March, “We are not for sale.”
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