Saskatchewan Opposition Urges Removal of U.S. Alcohol Amid Trade War Escalation

Saskatchewan's opposition party is calling on Premier Scott Moe to take a firm stance against the United States in the escalating trade war by removing American alcohol from provincial shelves. The NDP leader, Carla Beck, stated that it is time for Moe to "fight back," criticizing the decision to reintroduce U.S. liquor last year as both a "mistake and act of cowardice."

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This is the time to fight back, starting with immediately removing American alcohol from Saskatchewan shelves.

Beck accused Moe of consistently yielding to demands from former U.S. President Trump, arguing that this approach has yielded no benefits for the province. The latest round of the trade dispute, which began over the weekend, sees the U.S. imposing 50% tariffs on about $20 billion worth of Canadian goods, including honey, hockey sticks, and flower bulbs. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has pledged retaliatory tariffs, scheduled to start on September 8.

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It was both a mistake and act of cowardice to re-shelve it in the first place, as Scott Moe did last year.

Premier Moe's office had not immediately responded regarding any potential policy changes. On Saturday, Moe had expressed support on social media for Carney's promised dollar-for-dollar tariff retaliation, calling U.S. demands regarding Canada's trade relationships with other nations "beyond the pale."

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At every turn this premier has been the first and fastest to cave into Trump’s demands, that’s gotten us nowhere.

In contrast, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith indicated her province would maintain its diplomatic approach. She noted that Alberta has minimal exposure to U.S. tariffs, affecting only three percent of its exports. Smith stated her government prioritizes diplomacy and believes in consumer choice, thus will not alter the province's liquor policy. "We trust that Albertans can make their own decisions, so we won’t be going down that track," she said.

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U.S. demands, including conditions on Canada’s trade relationships with other nations, are beyond the pale and he supports Carney’s promised dollar-for-dollar tariff retaliation.