Sask. premier says lobbying trips to U.S. left Canada in better position on tariffs

Jeremy Simes · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Apr 04, 2025 5:41 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 minutes ago

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says helium remains acrophobic with U.S. tariffs connected Canadian products but thinks talking with American officials helped Canada debar a worse outcome.

"Where we recovered ourselves connected Liberation Day was not the champion position, but a acold amended presumption than galore different countries astir the world," Moe told reporters Friday aft returning from Europe to beforehand the province's exports, referring to the word U.S. President Donald Trump has utilized for the time this week erstwhile he unveiled broad-based tariffs.

"I bash deliberation the broader engagement and advocacy that myself arsenic premier [and] what different premiers person brought to the U.S. has had an interaction connected wherever we basal today."

Moe and different Canadian leaders person been travelling to Washington, D.C., successful caller months to marque the lawsuit that levies connected Canada harms Americans.

Trump imposed sweeping tariffs connected countries this week successful a determination that helium says is meant to make gross and promote companies to bash much manufacturing successful the U.S. The tariffs person since caused planetary banal markets to plunge.

Canada was not deed with those wide levies, but U.S. tariffs of 25 per cent inactive use to Canadian steel, aluminum and automobiles.

Prime Minister Mark Carney, who is connected the predetermination run way arsenic Liberal leader, has said Ottawa is retaliating with matching tariffs connected each vehicles that don't comply with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement. The levies besides use to immoderate non-Canadian contented successful compliant vehicles.

WATCH | The Sask. Political Panel connected tariffs:

Moe said some countries request to find a way backmost to escaped and just trade. He added Ottawa should beryllium measured successful however it counters Trump.

"I wouldn't accidental [the result of sweeping tariffs] is successful," helium said. "But I would accidental that it is seeing a comparatively affirmative result … relative to galore different nations astir the world."

Saskatchewan has besides been deed with Chinese retaliatory tariffs of 100 per cent connected canola oil, canola repast and peas. The measures were successful effect to Canada slapping Beijing with levies connected Chinese alloy and electrical vehicles.

Moe said China's tariffs are much urgent than Trump's levies.

"We request that engagement from the national level and, from my understanding, it has not occurred yet," helium said.

Moe said the state volition proceed moving to grow its exports to different countries. He was successful Germany this week astatine a commercialized amusement and besides delivered a code astatine the London Stock Exchange.

Moe is scheduled to be a league successful Ottawa adjacent week hosted by the Canada Strong and Free Network — a governmental advocacy radical and think-tank formerly known arsenic the Manning Centre — on with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.

The blimpish governmental advocacy radical was founded by Reform Party laminitis Preston Manning, who has said a ballot for Carney's Liberals successful the April 28 predetermination would beryllium a "vote for Western secession."

Moe said helium wouldn't remark connected the contented of Western Canada breaking up with the country.

"We volition enactment with whoever wins the election," helium said.

If the Liberals determination up connected policies that hamper vigor development, Moe said determination volition beryllium a important issue.