Saskatchewan’s premier says it is time for cooler heads to prevail amid threats of tariffs from Canada’s southern neighbour.
Speaking with reporters for nearly an hour in Regina on Wednesday, Scott Moe reiterated his government’s stance from the very beginning of the U.S. tariff threats.
“We need to work together as sub-national leaders, as a national government, all of us as Canadians … to de-escalate the conversation, de-escalate any conversation around potential tariffs, not escalate that conversation,” he explained, adding that he encourages Saskatchewan business leaders to reach out to their American colleagues to help make the case against tariffs.
Hours after his inauguration on Monday, President Donald Trump announced that his administration could move ahead with 25 per cent across the board tariffs on Canadian imports beginning Feb. 1.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held a press conference Tuesday, arguing that the United States will need its largest trading partner to usher in the “golden age” promised by Trump on inauguration day.
Canada and the U.S. arguably have two of the most interconnected economies in the world, and trade between the two countries amounts to nearly C$1.4 trillion, or US$1 trillion, per year.
According to 2023 figures provided by the federal government on Tuesday following Trudeau’s address, Canada supplied more than 99 per cent of U.S.-imported natural gas, 60 per cent of imported crude oil and 85 per cent of imported electricity.
The mutual dependence between Canada and the United States was a point Moe made repeatedly during the press conference – arguing that mutual dependence ultimately means that tariffs will harm both sides.
“The entire conversation on tariffs will be hurtful to Canadians. It 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,” he said.
Moe noted that his government is standing by Ottawa and the rest of the provincial leaders in their approach – while still having reservations about some actions that may be taken.
“Saskatchewan is supportive of those very small, targeted tariffs that are there to change the minds of U.S. decision makers. What we have seen since last week is some of the language changed to broad-based dollar for dollar counter-tariffs being imposed,” he said.
“Canadians lose that broader tariff war, that market access war, and I would say North Americans also will lose, if we are into a dollar-for-dollar tariff war with the U.S. There’s other countries around the world that have much to gain from that type of environment, but they aren’t the United States of America or Canada or Mexico for that matter.”
Moe was not the only provincial politician to weigh in on the situation.
Opposition NDP Leader Carla Beck also met with reporters, sharing her thoughts and the efforts of her party in conducting outreach.
“A Team Canada approach means all-hands on deck. Saskatchewan will always be ready to do its part, but Saskatchewan jobs and industries can’t be used as a sacrificial pawn to save jobs in Ontario and Quebec,” she said.
“We have yet to hear from the Premier on the assurances he has received.”
-With files from Rachel Aeillo and Luca Caruso-Moro.
