REGINA – Opposition New Democrats were back to attacking the Sask Party government over the latest trade figures with China.
At a news conference at the Legislature, the NDP Economy and Jobs critic Aleana Young pointed to Statistics Canada figures that showed merchandise exports from Saskatchewan to China had fallen 35.8 per cent year-to-date, and were down 76.5 per cent in August 2025 compared to the same month in 2024.
Young blasted Premier Scott Moe over those numbers, saying it meant the "loss of Saskatchewan jobs, Saskatchewan wealth and Saskatchewan livelihood." She also demanded Moe explain why "he's flip flopped on EV tariffs."
"Now previously, Premier Scott Moe has said that tariffs on Chinese EVs imposed by Ottawa, which are largely believed to have prompted retaliatory tariffs from China on canola, pork, and peas, should be removed to protect Saskatchewan producers. But then, after returning from China, Premier Moe backtracked on that push, saying that solving the trade crisis wasn't that simple…
"He is slow, he is weak, and he is ineffective. And the problem is that this sorry excuse, this sorry excuse for leadership here in Saskatchewan is putting the hammer to farms. The Premier of this province needs to grow a backbone and do what's necessary to protect our province's future. But instead, he's done the opposite. He'd rather stand in support of Chinese electric cars than in support of Saskatchewan farmers who feed the world."
When pressed by reporters that the reason being pointed to for keeping the EV tariffs was to protect the auto sector in Canada as well as to not anger the Americans, Young replied that what was needed "is a leader in Saskatchewan, not an ostrich."
"Our trade with China is down. Our trade with the United States is down. There are in fact more tariffs. Whether or not there are tariffs on Chinese EVs is a federal issue. But the Premier of Saskatchewan should be standing up for Saskatchewan. And the Premier of Saskatchewan ought to be saying every single day to the Prime Minister of Canada that these tariffs need to be scrapped. They have a disproportionate impact on livelihoods in Saskatchewan."
When asked if the geopolitics with Trump mattered to her in this case, Young noted that "our trade with the United States is also going backwards."
"So I appreciate the world is a complicated place. But our trade with our two largest trading partners, China and the United States, is down on both fronts. So if the Premier, who I understand does have another media avail today, if he's going to come out and say that he is going to stand up for Chinese EVs to protect his trading relationship with the United States, then the Premier needs to explain why trade with the United States is also down nearly 14 per cent year over year. And we have nothing to show for it but an increasing number of tariffs on Saskatchewan industries."
Young acknowledged whether or not there are tariffs is a federal issue, but that Moe "should be on the phone every single day with the Prime Minister of Canada, making the case that these tariffs need to come off to help Saskatchewan's economy. Full stop. Simple as that."
When asked if Prime Minister Mark Carney ought to be pressed to do something, given his trip to D.C. this week that did not result in a deal, Young said "absolutely."
"Everything I'd say to Premier Moe on this front, I would say directly to Prime Minister Carney as well. My hope and my expectation, I think the expectation of farmers and folks in the ag industry and everyone who's still got one foot on the family farm in Saskatchewan, is that the Premier would also be doing this important work. This is a government who has had 18 years to build Saskatchewan's economy, to diversify Saskatchewan's economy, and we're going through some turbulent times that have an impact, yes, on every province in Canada, but Saskatchewan remains exposed. We remain disproportionately impacted by the trade chaos with China and the United States, and after 18 years in power, it's like you've got to drag the Premier to act. I mean, it took him, what, like eight months to decide he should take a trade mission to China for two days, which appears to have been thrown together at the last minute… I think people are looking for a fighter, not a flip-flopper, and the Premier owes farmers and the people of Saskatchewan an explanation as to why he's decided to flip-flop on EV tariffs.
Province pushes back
In response to Young's news conference, the government said in an emailed statement that they continued to "advocate for Saskatchewan’s producers here at home and globally," pointing to Premier Moe's recent delegation to China seeking an end or reduction in tariffs on Canadian goods such as canola, pork, and seafood.
"Ultimately, this engagement must continue at the federal level between the governments of Canada and China. Saskatchewan will continue to call on the federal government to make this happen and remains ready to offer any insight or assistance if required."
They also pointed to Saskatchewan prioritizing diversifying trade in recent years through their nine international trade and investment offices. "This is a far contrast to the lost and reckless NDP who oppose international trade entirely. After campaigning on closing trade offices in the last provincial election, the NDP flip flopped on their position, and are now demanding more international trade missions and engagement after years of calling it wasteful spending. More recently, the NDP is demanding Saskatchewan stop trading with its emerging partners. This is disappointing but not surprising from a party who can’t seem to decide their position."
"Our government will always stand up for Saskatchewan producers and take no lessons from the NDP with their disastrous economic policies that would wreck our economy," they stated.
