Saskatchewan’s legislative assembly has officially started its spring session, after the Sask. Party government presented the provincial budget Wednesday.
The main theme of Thursday’s debate centred around U.S. tariffs, and how the budget included “no contingency plan.”
Saskatchewan released its budget Wednesday, predicting a $12-million surplus with additional spending in core areas. However, it did not set aside funds to deal with tariffs.
The budget includes a tariff analysis that says Saskatchewan could lose $1.4 billion in revenue should broad U.S. tariffs come into effect next month with Canadian countermeasures also in place.
The opposition NDP came into the first session swinging, heckling the government over their “lack” of plan to address tariffs.
“The Sask. Party budget contains nothing to protect Saskatchewan people and industry from tariffs,” NDP Leader Carla Beck said. “There’s no contingency, no plan to respond to the damage that these tariffs will do to people in this province.”
But Premier Scott Moe stood firm in his confidence around being fiscally strong enough to handle the tariff impacts as they unfold.
“What we do know is that we are going to do our best to work alongside the federal government, other premiers and industries to advocate and educate (on tariffs),” Moe said.
“There will be responses and I won’t hypothetically discuss as to what those responses will look like in the future.”
On Thursday, Beck introduced a motion calling on the assembly to condemn U.S. President Donald Trump for seeking to annex Canada and imposing sweeping tariffs on Canadian goods.
Moe wanted the motion worded differently. He struck out the language in the motion entirely, with the backing of his Saskatchewan Party governing caucus.
Get daily National news
Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
He replaced it with the words, “Canada will never be the 51st state,” along with calls for the assembly to support his government’s plans to address tariffs.
The assembly ultimately passed the revised motion.
For Beck, she doesn’t understand why Moe wanted to soften the language.
“People in this province have already been repeatedly condemning Donald Trump’s comments and the threats to make us the 51st state,” she said.
“This should not have been a partisan motion. It should have been something that all people in that assembly could agree to.”
The wording is a change the premier said removes rhetoric.
“Words are words. We need a plan, and we need action,” Moe said. “That’s what Canadian families and Saskatchewan families I think are asking politicians of all levels: to dial back the rhetoric and to come forward with what is your actual plan on how we’re going to react to really what is an unprecedented time.”
NDP members began the day singing the national anthem on the steps of the legislature while wearing Team Canada hockey jerseys in a show of support for the country.
However, when they were about to enter the chamber inside the building, Speaker Todd Goudy asked them not to wear their sweaters.
Goudy said in an emailed statement the rules allow members to only wear appropriate business attire or ethnic dress.
“There have been instances where concessions have been made, but I was not informed ahead of time,” said Goudy, the legislative referee for house proceedings.
“I appreciate the co-operation of the Opposition house leader and the Opposition caucus to my decision.”
Beck said the decision wasn’t what her team expected.
“The jerseys and the colours were orchestrated today. Spontaneous singing on the steps was not,” she said.
The U.S. has imposed 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports entering the country and has promised to implement more tariffs on Canada on April 2.
China has also imposed tariffs on Canadian canola oil, meal and peas. It’s in response to Canada hitting Beijing with levies on Chinese-made electric vehicles, aluminum and steel.
Moe has said the tariffs on canola would devastate the industry in Saskatchewan.
Moe is set to meet with other premiers virtually on Friday to discuss the trade war with Prime Minister Mark Carney.
— with files from The Canadian Press’ Jeremy Simes
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
https://globalnews.ca/news/11091413/saskatchewan-legislators-trump-tariff-response/
