Feb. 1 could bring drastic changes to Canada’s economy and the pressure is being felt in Saskatchewan.
With U.S President Donald Trump threatening to impose 25 per cent tariffs at the start of next month, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said he doesn’t support any major retaliation efforts.
“We would be against all export tariffs because they’re counterproductive,” Moe said Wednesday at a press conference. “They’re escalating the conversation around tariffs.”
“Broad-based tariffs, dollar-for-dollar tariffs with the U.S. is not in Canadians’ best interest, nor should export tariffs ever be considered by our government.”
Instead, Moe is advocating for precise, targeted tariffs on U.S. imports.
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Although Moe would not elaborate on which products he’d be in favour of levying, he suggested they would make up a small portion of trade.
“They are not there to have an impact on the economy. They’re there to change the views and really change the hearts and minds of specific policy decision makers within the U.S.”
Opposition leader Carla Beck is hoping for more eye-catching countermeasures.
“We need to take this message directly to consumers in the U.S. to make sure they understand what’s at stake for them,” Beck said.
“Should these tariffs come into place, we’d expect to see those advertisements on the subways — not in Dubai in this case, but subways in Chicago.”
Although the premier didn’t mention American advertisements, he did voice a similar message of raising awareness about the two countries’ integrated economies.
“That 49th parallel is there, yes, but most of the products we use and consume and export have crossed that parallel in some way shape or form in their making,” Moe said.
Saskatchewan trades roughly $30 billion each year down south.
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