Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe as he leads a large-scale trade mission to China opening September 6. During this visit, it will be the first time in six years that a Canadian premier has gone to China to discuss trade. The six-day trip couldn’t come at a better time. Today Saskatchewan farmers are enduring high, punitive tariffs on the vast majority of their canola exports that are creating serious harm to the province’s ag economy.
In a statement to the Leader-Post, Premier Moe’s office later confirmed the trip details. He’ll be joined by the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, and a number of federal Ministers. This deal has the potential to bring new opportunities and investment to U.S. ports, but tariffs remain an ever-growing, destructive scourge in today’s economy. Interestingly, Saskatchewan exports to Asia passed $10 billion in 2024, with China making up $4.4 billion of that total.
Our neighboring canola trade dispute is really heating up. For instance, last week China imposed a virtually 76 percent tariff on Canadian canola seed, raising the stakes further. Tensions between Canada and China have escalated as a result of this affair. It has focused attention on China’s anger over Canada’s tariffs on Chinese EVs.
Moe emphasized the urgency of the matter, stating, “Saskatchewan has expressed urgency to the federal government and been clear that we need to see action now to support the over 200,000 people across Canada’s canola industry.”
On the trade mission, Premier Moe is expected to make stops in Japan. Saskatchewan Trade Minister Warren Kaeding is to head a three-day mission to South Korea before joining Moe in Japan. This joint strategy demonstrates the heightened sensitivity to preserving and expanding bilateral trade with partners in the Pacific.
The Premier noted the significance of the mission, saying, “That’s why we are leading through this mission, reinforcing future trade opportunities and engaging with China on these temporary duties before it’s too late.”
Designed to engage with today’s challenges, this trade mission does just that. It digs into innovative future potential for Saskatchewan’s economy. That’s why the province’s leaders are prioritizing strong trade relationships, notably with China and India. They are looking ahead and doing the hard work to address recent economic headwinds and cultivate the relationships that will bear positive fruit.
