REGINA - Premier Scott Moe opened Canada’s Farm Show in Regina on Tuesday, but it was clear that looming tariffs were very much on his mind.
In remarks to those attending the “Thank You Farmers Breakfast” event Tuesday, and in speaking to reporters afterwards, Moe was clearly concerned about the impact of tariffs from the United States and even more so from China.
“Second to the U.S. tariffs, likely the most urgent and impactful tariff from Saskatchewan's perspective is the 100 per cent Chinese tariff on canola oil and meal,” Moe told reporters.
“That is one that we are going to feel immediately here in this province in the next number of weeks. That's why I've asked the new Prime Minister to reach out to President Xi in China before he calls an election to offer a plan on how we're going to chart a path forward and that tariff can be removed. Because by the time even an election writ period is over federally, we'll be facing substantial job loss, not only in Saskatchewan, but across Western Canada.”
Moe called that tariff “a Western Canadian expense at the benefit of a non-existent EV auto industry in Eastern Canada.“
The China tariffs are due to take effect Thursday. As for the tariffs coming from President Donald Trump, Moe noted that “things just change so, so rapidly. And often, you know, whether it's myself or others, I will learn of the President's decisions at the same time as everyone else does.”
Moe pointed to his and his government’s engagement efforts with the USA. He said his government was “having our conversations and meeting with all of the folks that we can that may be in the room to ensure that the President and his administration understand the true impacts of what some of those tariffs mean for American families, what they mean for North American food and energy security.
“And they're detrimental. They increase inflation, reduce jobs, and are just not in tune with building a stronger North America.”
On the looming China tariff threat, Premier Moe was asked if he had spoken yet to the new Prime Minister Mark Carney. Moe replied he had not, however he did express plans to reach out. Moe said there had been some talk of putting together a First Minister's meeting for this week, but added he was limited in his ability to attend given it is budget week in Saskatchewan.
There has been rampant speculation Carney might call a federal election in the coming days and Moe said he seee that "quite likely happening." But Moe stressed how critical it was for Carney to reach out to China on the canola tariffs before any election call.
“Prime Minister Carney determines when the election will be called, unless he faces a vote of non-confidence in the House. He should use this time to reach out to the President of China and to offer that if he is to form the Canadian government, that we will chart a path forward, he would chart a path forward to ensure that these tariffs are not in place. This is the most urgent and pressing issue to the Canadian economy and to the Western Canadian economy is 100 per cent tariffs on canola oil and canola meal. There will be jobs that will be lost by the time the Prime Minister comes out the other end of that election campaign."
Moe said if Carney did not reach out to the Chinese government, “and we do see job loss in the canola crush industry and farm gate price dropping for Canadian canola producers, that will be the legacy of the Liberal Party.” He said
As for the country’s response to tariffs from the USA and China, Moe quoted former prime minister Jean Chrétien whi said you ‘can't be smart and angry at the same time.’
“We as Canadians, and certainly in Saskatchewan, need to be very, very smart in our approach to how we're dealing with the United States of America and how we're dealing with the government of China. And those approaches will be different and need to be different, understanding the different relationships that we have with those two countries.”
Budget also looms
Moe’s appearance at Canada’s Farm Show took place one day in advance of the provincial budget, which is scheduled to be presented Wednesday afternoon by Finance Minister Jim Reiter.
There has been plenty of talk about whether the budget would have relief measures to address the impact of the tariffs. When Moe was asked if any were included, he pointed to the province’s export value as having risen from $17 billion to $50 billion in the years they formed government.
“You aren't going to buy your way out of the challenges that we have seen.”
Moe said they needed to “look at things a little differently —- how do we utilize the strength of the Saskatchewan economy to actually support one another?” He hinted there would be announcements and examples of this within “the next couple of hours.”
Not long after at around 10:30 a.m., the government did make an announcement at Evraz Steel that the province's Crown corporations would be buying Saskatchewan steel to support local jobs.
Crown Investments Corporation Minister Jeremy Harrison said in a statement that by prioritizing purchasing of local steel for SaskPower and SaskEnergy infrastructure projects, “we are helping to keep over 400 hardworking Saskatchewan people on the job right here in Regina."
Moe also commented on the talk about whether there would be a contingency in the Saskatchewan budget put in place. Moe pointed out that any province that has put in place a contingency used deficit financing.
He added that whether there was a contingency or not, “it doesn't in any way say that or indicate that you aren't going to in some ways support Canadian or Saskatchewan workers. We most certainly will be there if required, if this is drawn out in any way that we can. And working alongside whoever our federal government is as well.”
Beck responds
Opposition Leader Carla Beck was also at the Farm Show Tuesday morning along with several other NDP MLAs. Beck also shared the concerns about the Chinese tariff on canola.
“Canola is such an important crop when it comes to this province. You know, this is a must-do for this government and for the federal government.”
On Moe’s calls for the federal government to do something about China tariffs, Beck reminded reporters that “this didn't just happen. These tariffs were threatened back last August.
“I would ask, where has the Premier been making that case to Ottawa before now? This is not about, as I said, picking a fight. This is about getting to the table and making sure that those who are negotiating or talking with the Chinese understand what this will mean to producers here in this province, not just producers…this should have been something that was front of mind. This should have been something that the Premier was dealing with before today.
Beck also pointed to the importance of having a contingency included in the provincial budget to deal with tariff job losses.
“Budgets should reflect the reality of the people that live in this province,” said Beck. “If we don't see some contingency in that budget, I think the government will have missed the moment. Obviously, I can have empathy with the uncertainty, but there has to be some contingency. There has to be some ability to be able to protect those who are going to be devastated if we see these tariffs come in on the second, those who have already been impacted already because of all of the uncertainty.”
