With Feb. 1 less than a week away, the Saskatchewan’s NDP Opposition is calling for an emergency sitting of the legislature to discuss the province’s response to potential U.S. tariffs.
The NDP say the situation requires all hands to be on deck.
“We need to be in the house to quickly debate and settle on comprehensive support packages to protect Saskatchewan jobs as well as take strong legislative measures to fight back,” NDP Leader Carla Beck told reporters Monday.
Initially, U.S. President Donald Trump proposed 25 per cent tariffs to pressure Canada into stepping up border security.
This past weekend in Las Vegas, Trump touted tariff revenue as a way to eliminate income tax paid by Americans. The NDP views the situation with growing concern.
“This simply isn’t a time for any of us to be sitting on our hands,” Beck added. “We need to be ready, we need to be clear, we need to be united.”
The NDP suggest calling business leaders to the legislature to help draft the province’s response to any American tariffs.
There was no immediate response from the government – but some business groups have already met with the premier.
“All the premiers have come together with the federal government and there is more of a focus on strengthening our domestic economy and one of the things the premiers are talking about is interprovincial trade barriers,” Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce CEO Prabha Ramaswamy.
“Addressing that could mean anywhere from $30 million to $150 million for our economy.”
Border city mayors are also forming a lobby group, an organization that Saskatchewan mayors are being invited to join.
“Getting the mayors together who have a shared interest, who want to work on a Canada First approach and make sure that we are speaking in unison here, we’re not divided,” Mayor of Windsor Drew Dilkens explained.
“I think it’s really crucial to the national conversation that’s going on which is why we established this group.”
Canada’s response to federal tariffs would primarily be a federal government responsibility but provinces may be asked for their input.
Saskatchewan’s NDP believe the legislature should be on stand-by to be part of the process.
