I am the smallest of businesses. It’s me. Until now, I’ve been exempt from tariffs because of the de minimis exemption, which says that goods under a certain dollar threshold aren’t subject to tariffs. That goes away on August 29 & all goods get a 35% tariff UNLESS covered by CUSMA agreement. 2/
The good news: soft covered books are covered by CUSMA as exempt, and on top of that, 100% of the paper and labor is North American (hint: it’s Canadian). But because the de minimis exemption is going away, I have to fill out paperwork declaring all this or else I get tariffed anyway. 3/
For the sake of getting answers/ information out there... The paperwork happens every time for every package, yes? It's not like you're filling out one form and now you've got exempt status.
You have to attach certification to every package. So you can get certified once for the goods, but you have to include the extra certification or it gets slapped with tariffs
This paperwork burden is such a gigantic pile of horseshit. Will a tariff convince me to move my extremely small business back to the U.S.? Fuck no. And I doubt it will persuade any other small Canadian businesses that they should move to a fascist country with no health care 4/
But for every small business that isn’t covered by CUSMA or doesn’t fill out the paperwork in time, they have to pay this tariff (or their customers do) or go out of business. And what will the tariff money do if collected? Pay for tax cuts for billionaires. To restate my thesis: huge dick 5/
And this is yet another reason why Canadians are red hot about this trade war. It’s only hurting EVERYONE but the billionaires and we did nothing to deserve it. Again—I know that more dire shit is happening. But I thought the thread might inform like, three people, so why not. The End /7
Do you do print runs in the US & have it shipped to 🇨🇦? I haven’t run into any tariff-specific paperwork yet, though I’ve been hearing rumblings from the indie bookshops I work with…
My books are printed in Quebec, across the river from Mexico
…from me, not Mexico
Ah, that makes more sense!😂 (Can I get a referral? I’ve been making a list of domestic printing options…) So where is the tariff paperwork entering the equation?
I use Imprimerie Gauvin in Quebec. So the paperwork is in proving your books, if shipped to the U.S., are covered under CUSMA. They ARE, to be clear, but you need a certificate saying so for every shipment! Without that, you get a tariff.
😳 yikes, sounds miserable and inane (so about par for course with this admin🫠) Thanks for the heads up!😨
This all blows giant donkey D***!!!
Great thread. Also, I just started listening to the audiobook of your "Ink & Sigil" book, and it is FABULOUS! I'm loving it. :) Keep up the good work, and I'm sorry my stupid country is making it harder.
Many thanks! Glad you’re enjoying!
More dire shit may be happening but this is part of that. They want us poor and tired and stressed. Easier to manipulate us that way.
Part of my business is retail sales of magazines. sales of US mags in Canada have always been a small very good and profitable source of circ. for US mags. No more. That orange limp dick has screwed it all up. Sales in Canada are terrible now. None of this had to happen.