REGINA — Opposition Leader Carla Beck is calling on Premier Scott Moe to go to China in response to the latest tariff threat on canola.
Earlier on Tuesday, China announced it would impose new tariffs of 75.8 per cent on Canadian canola, to take effect Thursday.
In response, at the legislature Tuesday, Beck called for Moe to launch an urgent trade mission to China to end the Chinese tariffs on canola and to make use of the province’s trade office in Shanghai.
“I'm going to remind both the people of Saskatchewan and Premier Moe that we do have a trade office in China right now that appears to be collecting dust,” said Beck.
“This is something that should have happened five months ago, but especially with the news this morning, it's something that needs to happen today. We didn't see any assurances coming out of the Council of the Federation that there was a plan to deal with these Chinese tariffs. And the Premier has even suggested that he doesn't think this is part of his job.”
Beck pointed to comments by Moe to the Western Producer in July that this had to be a nation-to-nation discussion.
“There is a role for the federal government here, but we also need to see our Premier use every tool at his disposal to fight back and to find a way out of these Chinese tariffs,” said Beck. “This is too important to producers in this province, to our economy, for our Premier to sit this one out.”
Beck also pointed to Statistics Canada numbers showing Saskatchewan merchandise exports to China have declined more than 25 per cent during the first six months of this year, with year-over-year numbers down more than 51 per cent.
“The most recent announcement this morning is going to have even more impact.
“These tariffs very clearly are already hurting Saskatchewan producers, and we haven't really seen harvest get underway yet. This is a time for action. This is a time that we cannot afford to simply sit by and wait this one out.”
As for when Beck wanted to see a trade mission happen, she said right away. She was also critical of what she had seen since the initial tariffs in March.
“We had leaders already back in March calling this unparalleled, this threat,” said Beck. “Again, a 75 per cent duty on canola seed is going to be really devastating if we don't find a way through this.”
Beck was critical of what she regarded as a lack of action since March.
“When we look back to these tariffs back in March, it's been five months. We haven't seen a delegation. We haven't even heard word of using that trade office in Shanghai. I know that the Premier knows where it is. He's been there before.
“Given the level of threat that we see right now, it doesn't make any sense to me that we are not using that office today to deal with these most recent tariffs and duties.”
As for how much sway Saskatchewan has with the Chinese government, Beck made it known she did not think the province should back away from this issue.
“This is an important export to China. I think we need to take up that space as we've always said. We're incredibly proud of not only what we produce, but how we produce it. Proud of our producers. And I think they want to want to be there making the case for why Canada is a stable trading partner.”
Moe responds
Premier Scott Moe held a news conference in Saskatoon in response to the new Chinese tariffs. At that time, Moe was asked if he would go on a trade mission to China.
Moe said it was something they had been considering for some time, but he added “it has to be co-ordinated, and it has to be well planned out.”
Of their China trade office, Moe noted it was something “we've been criticized for even having by the Opposition at every opportunity, wherever our trade offices are located.”
But Moe reiterated a trade mission to China “needs to be co-ordinated with the federal government.”
“As I said, it isn't going to be the province of Saskatchewan that signs a trade agreement with President Xi. It's going to be the Prime Minister of Canada. And so we need to put and make every effort to use the tools and the assets and the intel and the contacts that we have as a province to put our Prime Minister in a position where that conversation can happen and where these tariffs can be lifted.”
Later in the afternoon the province issued a further statement on the China tariffs:
“The federal government needs to take immediate action to resolve this dispute. We request that the federal government make this a priority in order to protect our economy and the interests of Western Canadian producers...
“Saskatchewan has been proactive on this topic since the beginning, regularly engaging with the federal government since before the original tariffs were announced. Various letters have been sent to multiple federal ministers from the Ministers of Agriculture, and Trade and Export Development beginning last fall as and recently as last month.
“These letters are in addition to Premier Moe’s letter to Prime Minister Carney upon his election, with further discussions occurring at first minister’s meetings. Premier Moe and cabinet Ministers have also met with Chinese officials over the past several months, who have been very clear that these discussions need to be had at the federal level.
“After campaigning on closing trade offices just last fall, the lost and reckless NDP now apparently see their value. It is only due to our government’s persistent focus on increasing our trade presence around the globe, amidst heavy criticism from the NDP, that we are able to utilize these offices that have been operating and building relationships. The Government of Saskatchewan remains committed to working with our federal counterparts in Ottawa to resolve this issue as quickly as possible, and ultimately, ensure our industry continues to be supported so that it can remain competitive.”
