SASKATOON—Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper sees the vital role of Saskatchewan in international trade while also emphasizing the impact the country makes in the world’s geopolitical climate. Harper is the 22nd PM, serving from 2006 to 2015.
Harper, during a keynote session on Monday, July 28, at the 79th Midwestern Legislative Conference at the TCU Place, offered his thoughts on the ongoing trade negotiations between Canada and the United States, and the various conflicts happening in parts of the world.
He said that the meeting between legislators from Saskatchewan and the 10 Midwestern US states was held over four days to discuss and deal with the reality of the situation between the two trading and cross-border partners.
“I told this to an American audience. For the United States, understand that Canada is your largest, most balanced, and most lucrative trade arrangement in the entire world. By a lot, and it's not just a trade relationship,” said Harper.
“In the Midwest prairies, this is not trade. This is just total mutual — total economic integration for the benefit of industries of all kinds and services on both sides of the border. Frankly, it's — by international comparisons, it's virtually tariff-free.”
He added that the country’s global role is evident in the relationship between Canada and the US, emphasizing the trade agreement, considered to be the most lucrative and balanced in the world.
US President Trump has repeatedly complained about the Canada-U.S. border, accusing fentanyl of going freely down south, which is one of the reasons for imposing higher tariffs on Canadian goods. However, from 2022 to 2024, about 26 kilograms of fentanyl were seized.
Harper said that one vital product for the US is Canadian energy, where certain parts of the US industry are highly dependent on it. The country is also abundant in critical minerals, like rare earths used for electric vehicles and potash for fertilizer.
“Energy, potash, uranium, and critical minerals are going to be bigger. These are all things that I think the US will not be entirely independent of for the foreseeable future, of which it will need Canadian imports,” said Harper.
Canada has been a key player in the global trading system due to its geography, with BC crossing the Pacific to reach East Asian markets, and the country’s East Coast, especially seafood products from the Maritimes, crossing the Atlantic for Europe.
Canada is abundant in products in agriculture, energy, and critical minerals that are becoming increasingly vital in a world where supply chains are being affected by geopolitical issues and other realignments.
Harper has also mentioned the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war, Iran’s nuclear weapons capability, and China’s persistent threats at the Taiwan Strait, representing global challenges to logistics and the movement of goods, stability, peace, and democracy.
“In Europe, the energy insecurity that's been created. But what is missed, in the Russian-Ukrainian war, is the degree to which agriculture and some other vital supplies have been disrupted in the emerging economies,” said Harper.
He added that although Canada is not a military superpower, it still has a voice in shaping global relationships through diplomatic coalitions being part of NATO, the G7, and other multilateral institutions.
Canada has been consistent in supporting Ukraine’s defence against Russian aggression, opposing Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and promoting democracies in certain parts of Asia, particularly in East Asia, to maintain global order.
