Saskatchewan premier says broad tariffs against U.S. would ‘rip this country apart’

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This article was published 29/01/2025 (311 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

REGINA – Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says imposing sweeping export tariffs on Canadian goods heading south would “rip this country apart.” 

Moe made the remark Wednesday as United States President Donald Trump is poised to hit Canada with 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs as early as Saturday. 

“Every word that comes from our mouth and every motion that we go through, whether it be a subnational leader or the federal government, needs to be focused on de-escalating the entire conversation around tariffs and really looking at the strength and the integration of the economy we have,” he told reporters in Regina. 

Provincial and territorial leaders held a virtual meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau earlier in the day, and Moe said his message was that broad dollar-for-dollar counter tariffs “aren’t on” from Saskatchewan’s perspective.

“Those hurt all Canadians and hurt all North Americans, escalate the whole discussion around tariffs and they’re not helpful to us building that continental economy into the future,” he said.

Export tariffs on products like oil or potash “would rip this country apart and under no circumstances should be part of any conversation.”

Moe said he’d support a discussion around a targeted package of tariffs and that it’s worth considering actions like those taken a decade ago during a meat-labelling dispute with the U.S.

In an effort to pressure the U.S. to reverse course on country-of-origin labelling on beef and pork, Canada sought approval from the World Trade Organization to impose more than $1 billion in punitive measures on U.S. goods, including meat, wine, chocolate and frozen orange juice. The U.S. ended up repealing the so-called COOL law in 2015.

Moe also noted how Canada responded when Trump, during his first term in office, imposed a 25 per cent tariff on steel and 10 per cent levy on Canadian aluminum imports. 

Canada imposed tariffs of equal value on American steel and aluminum.

“We do support very targeted tariffs and counter tariffs that can change the hearts and minds of policymakers in the U.S.,” Moe said. 

Moe also said export charges on farm machinery manufactured in Saskatchewan would have a short-term impact on the province’s industry but cost American farmers more.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 29, 2025. 

— By Lauren Krugel in Calgary