sask. premier calls trump tariff decision 'disappointing'
3 minute read
saskatchewan premier scott moe speaks as he arrives for a first ministers meeting in ottawa on wednesday, jan. 15, 2025.
justin tang
/
the canadian press
saskatchewan premier scott moe says u.s. president donald trump’s move to enact tariffs on canadian goods starting this week is “disappointing.”
moe posted a statement on social media saturday night in response to trump announcing earlier in the day that as of tuesday, there will be a 10 per cent tariff on canadian energy and a 25 per cent tariff on all other canadian goods.
“the decision by president trump to impose tariffs on all canadian products is disappointing and will damage both our countries’ economies, workers and consumers,” the saskatchewan premier said in a statement.
prime minister justin trudeau said canada will respond with its own set of 25 per cent tariffs, beginning with a targeted selection of american goods including alcohol, furniture and natural resources. more duties on american goods could follow by the end of the month.
“we don’t need anything they have,” trump said in a social media post on sunday, referring to canadian energy, cars and lumber.
moe said he supports “very targeted and specific retaliatory measures to initial tariffs,” while the province works with businesses and other governments “to find common ground on this important issue to ensure that damaging tariffs are removed as quickly as possible.”
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“make absolutely no mistake, these tariffs will cost american and canadian families more,” moe said in a statement on social media. “that will weaken the highly integrated north american economy which benefits … nations that may not be our allies. tariffs are harmful to all of us in north america.”
meanwhile, moe also pointed out that saskatchewan has been spending more on security and policing at the province’s southern border, and has argued for more stringent penalties for drug offences at the federal level — measures he says saskatchewan and the united states agree on.
also on saturday, saskatchewan ndp leader carla beck said mlas should immediately return to the legislature on monday to hash out the province’s response to this new economic landscape and “put a stop to a no-win trade war.”
“these tariffs and incoming retaliatory measures will increase the cost of food, energy and fuel on both sides of the border,” she said in an emailed statement. “our number one focus is protecting saskatchewan jobs and industries.”
in 2023, among canadian provinces, saskatchewan was the top per-capita exporter, selling $49.3 billion in goods including potash, crude oil and agricultural equipment to international markets.
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the united states accounted for over 50 per cent of those exports — but that number had fallen from the previous year. meanwhile, saskatchewan was exporting more goods to china, germany, algeria, the u.k and latin america.
in 2023, the united states bought $6.7 billion worth of saskatchewan agri-food products alone. the province’s next-biggest international food buyer, china, purchased $4.3 billion worth of agri-food goods.
in a statement on sunday, canadian federation of agriculture president keith currie said it is “no question” that the incoming tariffs will have “negative consequences for farmers and consumers on both sides of the border.”
— with files from the canadian press and nykole king
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