Meet the Canadians Breaking Up With Their Beloved Maine Vacation Spot
George Poitras says he felt nostalgic for Old Orchard Beach the first time he visited as a teen. 'I'd like to show this to other people,' he recalls thinking of the Maine town and its smooth, sandy beaches. Later, he'd bring his three children for vacations to share 'pier fries' and ride amusement park rides on warm summer nights.
This year, though, the seaside town where he and thousands of other Canadians come each summer is caught in a political maelstrom. The neighborly relationship between the two countries went south after President Trump threatened to make Canada the 51st U.S. state and hit it with tariffs. In response to the trade moves, then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called for Canadians to boycott U.S. travel and singled out Old Orchard Beach by name.
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