Moe did say from the floor of the assembly “Canada will never be a 51st state” and “any comments in that realm are not only condemned by me, the majority if not all Canadians and many, many Americans as well.”
Alec Salloum
Regina Leader-Post
An emergency motion brought forward by the Opposition was stripped of any condemnation of U.S. President Donald Trump by the governing Saskatchewan Party.
NDP Leader Carla Beck introduced the motion during Thursday’s sitting of the legislature, which read “The Assembly condemns the Trump administration for proposing the annexation of Canada” and tariffs on Canadian goods. It also stated the Government of Canada should not put export taxes or limit exports of Saskatchewan’s natural resources.
The motion was passed but not before it was significantly amended by Premier Scott Moe to the following points: Canada will never be the 51st state, the Government of Saskatchewan is aligned with other provinces against the tariffs, there are efforts being made by the government to increase procurement from Saskatchewan-based employers, there is support for targeted tariffs from the federal government but the province does not support export tariffs, the government is continuing to work with other leaders to remove tariffs, it supports infrastructure projects like rail and pipelines, the government is increasing trade to other countries “through international trade missions and trade offices” while also calling for the removal of the federal carbon tax “on everything for everyone.”
Moe’s amendment was approved 31-25 and the emergency motion passed unanimously.
“I honestly am at a loss as to why this government removed all references to Donald Trump from their motion,” said Beck after question period.
She said many people in Saskatchewan want to hear that formal condemnation of Trump, by name, for his actions and rhetoric.
“This is a threat that continues to be repeated by the president of the United States,” she said. “We should name who it is that is threatening our country.”
While his amendment was far lengthier than the original motion, Moe was adamant that people wanted action, not words, in the face of a multi-front trade war. He also said the motion illustrates the plan the government has been working on to fight U.S. tariffs and questioned what an explicit condemnation of Trump would accomplish. He said politicians at all levels need “to dial back the rhetoric.”
“Canada will never be a 51st state” Moe declared from the floor of the assembly. “Any comments in that realm are not only condemned by me, the majority if not all Canadians and many, many Americans as well.”
The NDP voted for the motion as amended because, “for the most part,” it included things the party has asked for.
While the motion passed, an attempt by the NDP to wear Team Canada hockey jersey’s to question period wasn’t as successful. Opposition house leader Nicole Sarauer said the Speaker asked members not to wear them in the chamber.
“It wasn’t what we expected,” said Beck, who argued it wasn’t a “controversial” move.
