Sask. premier comes out against retaliatory tariffs on province's goods in break from Team Canada approach

Saskatchewan's premier says he remains committed to a unified response to President Donald Trump's threat of a 25 per cent tariff, but that there are some tactics he does not want to see implemented.

That includes the broad dollar-for-dollar tariffs floated by the federal government. Moe said he's looking at all powers available in provincial jurisdiction to reduce any export tariff on Saskatchewan goods, should they be implemented by Ottawa. 

Moe and the country's other premiers met earlier on Wednesday with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to talk about the Team Canada approach in response to Trump's tariff threats.

Moe insisted his comments did not signal a break from Team Canada. He said he wants to avoid tariffs altogether.

On Wednesday, Moe encouraged leaders in the Saskatchewan business community to reach out to their colleagues south of the border and stress how integrated the countries are.

"The entire focus on this, as I said, is to de-escalate the entirety of the conversation around tariffs," Moe said.

WATCH | Saskatchewan won't support broad-based, dollar-for-dollar tariffs: Premier Scott Moe: 

Saskatchewan won't support broad-based, dollar-for-dollar tariffs: Premier Scott Moe

6 hours ago

Duration 1:21

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says while he supports "very small, targeted tariffs" in an attempt to influence the U.S. decision-makers, he thinks broad-based tariffs will hurt Canadians and Americans alike.

Opposition Leader Carla Beck said Moe's call made little sense and that businesses have already been talking with their connections south of the border. 

"It's a little bit surprising that the premier didn't know that, because this is something that has come up time and time again when we've spoken to industry leaders here in Saskatchewan," Beck said.

Beck said the province should be putting its message in front of the American people.

The Saskatchewan NDP leader suggested an advertising campaign in cities across the U.S., but especially in the states that receive a lot of exports from the province.

"If these tariffs come into place, it's going to be devastating for people across this country, for industry, for our economy, for the cost for consumers. But it is also going to increase costs for people in the U.S.," Beck said.

Moe said he remains hopeful that tariffs from the United States will not become a reality.

The premier repeated a phrase he's used often when asked about Trump floating Feb. 1 as a potential date to implement a 25 per cent tariff.

"We need to take what President Trump says very seriously, but not always do you take it literally," he said.