Saskatchewan’s premier is voicing support for the federal government’s counter-tariff measures. In a statement to CTV News Tuesday, Premier Scott Moe said he endorsed the “focused and targeted” response to the 50 per cent tariffs imposed on Canadian goods by the U.S. — affecting roughly $28 billion worth of goods. On Tuesday, Canada retaliated by announcing dollar-for-dollar tariffs on U.S. imports. Existing tariffs on American goods like steel and aluminium will increase from 25 per cent to 50 per cent. The retaliatory tariffs will also target U.S. imports such as smartphones, perfumes and makeup, milk products, plywood products, cutlery and doors — all at 50 per cent. According to Moe, the new counter-tariffs will cover about $1.5 billion, or 11.3 per cent, of Saskatchewan’s annual imports from the U.S. “We are analyzing the counter-tariff list closely and working with affected industries to determine its potential impact on jobs and consumer prices, while also reviewing the federal government’s support measures to ensure they work for Saskatchewan businesses and workers,” the statement read. However, the premier still expressed concern about the overarching impacts of the trade war. “While this is the appropriate response to the latest round of US tariffs, we can never lose sight of the fact that all tariffs hurt businesses, jobs, consumers and families on both sides of the border, and our ultimate goal must be to get back to a free and fair trade relationship with the US, as we have enjoyed for many years,” he wrote. Carney first announced its intention to retaliate and match the tariffs dollar for dollar on Saturday, with the official announcement coming Tuesday. Moe is scheduled to speak with media about the topic on Wednesday.
