REGINA - Opposition leader Carla Beck once again demanded the recall of the Saskatchewan legislature, on news that US President Donald Trump was imposing tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum.
Trump was expected to sign executive orders this afternoon imposing 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminum exports to the US, including from Canada. At a news conference at the Legislature Monday afternoon, Beck made clear she was fed up with Trump, and also with his continued comments about Canada becoming the 51st state.
“This s*** isn’t funny,” said Beck, standing alongside their trade critic Sally Housser. She made it known “sovereignty is not on the table.”
“Again, I think in part, the goal is the harm, the uncertainty that is leveled with every tweet, keeping people on eggshells. I mean, I think that's part of what we're seeing here.”
In her remarks, Beck yet again called for an early return of the legislature, calling this a “crisis of the highest order.”
“We need to be clear and we need to have a well-developed response to these tariffs immediately,” Beck said.
“The legislature needs to be sitting. We need to be at work debating and developing the best response. We need to bring assurances to Saskatchewan people and Saskatchewan industry that we are indeed prepared to have all hands on deck in the face of these threats.”
Beck added she believed the response “needs to start with retaliatory tariffs on steel and aluminum being brought in from the United States. We have to be prepared to fight fire with fire.”
Beck also said all revenue generated from those counter tariffs “has to be directed back into those affected industries.”
Beck also called on Premier Scott Moe and all leaders to “come together to find a way to build an energy corridor across Canada from coast to coast.”
Housser echoed that call in her remarks.
“We need market access for our energy. I'm hearing so much concern about the impact of the actions of this President in our energy sector.
It's clearly time to get building right here at home. The refineries in Moncton should be taking Canadian oil and we should be getting that oil to Moncton through a pipeline built using the best steel manufactured in the world. Saskatchewan steel.
“Let's get this done. We should no longer be beholden to an impromptu airline news conference or a tweet to be able to look after our own economy. We need to send a message that we're serious about focus on our economic future, with or without support from the United States.”
The NDP also pointed to the impact on local jobs in Regina.
"We happen to know a great pipe facility here in northern the north part of Regina that uses recycled steel, uses only the water that they need and produces a hell of a product. Those guys have been out of work on the pipe side for a long time. 500 jobs," said Beck.
"Now we see the jobs on the steel side in jeopardy. That's a huge hit for this city," said Beck, referring to Evraz Steel.
"So every project that requires those is going to see, potentially, an increase in cost there. Again, it's not just a few that are going to be impacted. Building costs, cost of food, cost of energy, cost to fill your car, all of those are going to be impacted and impacted in a big way."
"We are, even though we've got the best steel in the world here in Saskatchewan, we still rely too much on the United States and their steel," Housser added.
"And listen, Donald Trump, he doesn't care about Saskatchewan jobs. He doesn't care about Canadian jobs. Make no mistake, every man, woman, and child on both sides of the border is going to feel the impact in this."
This week, Premier Moe is on a trade mission to Washington D.C. as part of a Council of the Federation delegation with other provincial Premiers. In remarks to reporters last week prior to that trip, Moe also called for pipelines in Canada to be built.
"That is the number one interprovincial regulatory challenge that we have in this nation is our inability to not only build a pipeline infrastructure so that Canadians can buy Canadian oil without having it pass through the US, which I think is entirely become evident as being a hindrance for us in providing energy security, providing ultimately, leaving us somewhat vulnerable in this most recent discussion."
Moe said pipeline infrastructure is paramount, and "so is rail and port access for all Canadians or Canadian ports, Canadian rails."
"We need Canadian rail access to our port as well, and we need to be operating efficiently, not just to be there, and operating reliably as we service and provide that food and energy security to so many countries around the world."
