REGINA - Premier Scott Moe made known what Saskatchewan’s priorities should be in addressing the threat of tariffs from US President Donald Trump.
De-escalating the conversation on tariffs, opposing export tariffs and urging business leaders to engage with their American counterparts were all positions that Moe indicated his government would be taking in response to the Trump tariff threat.
“It's been Saskatchewan's position from the very beginning that we need to work together — as subnational leaders, as a national government, but all of us as Canadians — work together to de-escalate the conversation, de-escalate any conversation around potential tariffs, not escalate that conversation.”
Regarding Trump’s latest threat to impose tariffs by Feb. 1, Moe did not want to comment on “what might be hypothetical at this space. As I say often, we need to take what President Trump says very seriously, but not always do you take it literally.”
On how Canada ought to respond, Moe said Saskatchewan is supportive of “those very small, targeted tariffs that are there to change the minds of U.S. decision makers.”
But Moe expressed concerns about calls for “broad-based dollar-for-dollar tariffs, counter-tariffs 小蓝视频 imposed. Saskatchewan is not in support of that.
He said broad-based counter tariffs and escalating the entire conversation around tariffs "will be hurtful to Canadians and will be hurtful to the entirety of North Americans and ultimately to that North American energy and food manufacturing security that we want to achieve.”
Moe also said he was not supportive of “export tariffs put on by our own national government on products that we might produce here in Saskatchewan or anywhere else in Canada,” and said Saskatchewan will be “working actively to ensure that an export tariff couldn't be applied on Saskatchewan products.”
“Dollar-for-dollar tariffs with the U.S. is not in Canadians' best interest, nor should export tariffs ever be considered by our government,” Moe said.
The other point Moe wanted to make was for the business community in Saskatchewan to reach out to their “American colleagues, business colleagues, so that they also can speak to policy and decision makers throughout the U.S. as to the importance and the integration of the North American economy, and how through that integration of the North American economy we actually are providing food security, providing energy security, providing manufacturing security, and in many ways adding to our collective general security.”
Moe said what was needed, and what he would continue to do, was “engage, yes, alongside our federal government, but to engage also as a province of Saskatchewan with any and all contacts that we have with the Trump administration, with Governors, with Senators, with House representatives. And as I said, I encourage those in the business community to reach out to their business colleagues south of the border. And I think we need to remember to always keep in mind that we can only impact what we can impact.”
Moe indicated to reporters that what Saskatchewan can impact are “some of the concerns that President Trump has put forward with respect to border security.” During his news conference Moe pointed to the stepped-up border initiatives announced last week, with the provincial redeployment of 16 officers at the US border.
Moe said many Premiers, himself included, have “consistently encouraged the federal government that at some point our two per cent military spend or our NATO commitment is going to be part of this conversation, and we should be working very diligently together to ensure that we are able to achieve that sooner rather than later.”
Moe’s news conference at the Saskatchewan legislature came just after he appeared on a call with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other First Ministers on how to the respond to the tariff threat. The meeting came two days after President Trump said be would likely impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canada on Feb. 1.
It also came a week after Prime Minister Trudeau and the First Ministers met in Ottawa, where Premier Moe was among 12 provincial and territorial Premiers signing a communique on the First Ministers' response.
Moe was asked at the news conference Wednesday if he had contemplated doing the same thing as Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who did not sign on to last week's communique of the Premiers out of concern about continued talk about cutting off energy exports to the USA as a retaliatory move.
Moe responded to reporters that he shared her concerns.
“For the very thought or initiative for any type of export tariffs to be applied to any Canadian goods, you know, for example, should the Canadian government consider applying export tariffs to electricity that's 小蓝视频 exported out of the province of Quebec? I think Quebec would be very quick to say not without our approval, and there are constitutional and provincial jurisdictional rights that, you know, do allow for provinces certainly to have a role to play in any of that conversation. We would share, I think, that very stance that we should not be applying export tariffs to products that Canadians are producing. And I think that is part of the reason behind some of Premier Smith's comments.”
Moe said he was against export tariffs “because they're counterproductive.” He said it “escalated” the conversation around tariffs, adding export tariffs were “pushing the conversation in the wrong direction.”
“It's hurting Canadians and hurting North Americans. By the same factor, we don't think that the tariffs that are 小蓝视频 proposed by President Trump are in any way helpful either. But I think we can find a way through some targeted initiatives that don't have as large an impact on the broader economy and Canadians and North Americans.”
Soon after Moe's news conference, Opposition Leader Carla Beck issued her response. Beck’s eyebrows were particularly raised at the Premier encouraging Saskatchewan industry and business to leverage their connections in the USA.
"What I would say to the Premier is that I can assure him that those businesses have been reaching out well before today," Beck said.
"They are well aware of the impact that this potentially has on their industry. They have been proactively reaching out to their political connections in the U.S. as well as those in industry and frankly it's a little bit surprising that the Premier didn't know that because this is something that has come up time and time again when we've spoken to industry leaders here in Saskatchewan. This is a time again for all hands on deck."
Beck also voiced support for advertising directly to Americans on the effects of tariffs, making it known she thought that was a more effective approach compared to when the government spent “over $200,000 advertising on Dubai subways.”
“This is at least as important as that advertising. We need to take this message directly to consumers in the U.S. to make sure that they understand what's at stake for them. Should these tariffs come into place, we'd expect to see those advertisements on subways, not in Dubai in this case, but subways in Chicago.”
