PARIS – Premier Scott Moe has made his way to Paris, France as his European trade mission continues this week.
Moe is at the Eurosatory 2026 defence show in Paris, where the Premier says he is promoting Saskatchewan manufacturing.
In a conference call with reporters Monday morning, Moe pointed to the work of “world-class Saskatchewan manufacturing companies that often have their roots in their success in Saskatchewan communities, whether it be Saskatoon, Regina, Yorkton, or many others.”
He noted those companies have their roots in mining, agriculture industry, and oil and gas industry, but who have now “taken that expertise into manufacturing defense platforms for countries around the world and increasingly participating in some of the investment that our country, Canada, and our continent, North America, is making in this space as well.”
Moe said that when you look at the base platforms of trucks and vehicles that are being built and utilized around the world, “that's largely what much of Saskatchewan manufacturers do already for whether it be the mining industry, the oil and gas industry, the agricultural industry.”
“We have expertise in this area. And it is not out of the question by any stretch. In fact, many companies have already added defence procurement as a portion of the manufacturing work that they do. And we're doing that mining and that agricultural and that oil and gas manufacturing unlike anywhere else in the world. It would be no surprise that Saskatchewan manufacturing companies are also able to do that level, provide that level of service and manufacturing expertise to the defence space as well. The global partnerships in that space are very much how business is done.”
Moe said this is a “new conversation for me to be in as a provincial leader,” and an opportunity for their manufacturing industry to experience growth as “we see countries across the European Union and North America and around the world increasing their investment in that defence space.”
“It only stands to reason that, including Canada, that Saskatchewan would be able to participate in that, provide that service and expand the jobs and careers that they have in Saskatchewan communities. So a little bit of an exciting time to be honest.”
The Paris show is the third in four stops on Premier Moe’s European tour. Just prior to heading to Europe, Moe and his delegation was at in Calgary, Alberta at the Global Energy Show, where he said they presented on “a number of topics with respect to energy security, the role that Saskatchewan and Western Canada plays in not only our Canadian energy security, but our North American energy security, and ultimately the opportunity that we have to play an increased role in global energy security as well.”
From there, they headed to Prague, Czechia, where Moe said they met with a number of organizations specific to electricity security and fuel source supply.
On Friday, Moe signed a memorandum of understanding with Czechia on “further deepening our partnership” when it comes to “all trade in general, but specifically to energy security and to collaborating in the nuclear space, as well as the fuel supply space or the uranium supply space.”
“As you know, we have now a Saskatchewan company that owns their own nuclear technology, which is very active, that technology is very active, I would say, and of much interest to many Central European countries as well as other European countries as well.”
From there, Moe headed to Belgium to the port of Antwerp, which he called an “impactful port for Canadian products today.”
“Potash is coming into that port, either through Canpotex or Nutrien. Some of the Belgian combines and New Holland combines are leaving that port, coming to Western Canada, as well as some of our agricultural companies like Cargill, who have just opened their new crush facility just outside the city of Regina. They are active in their European relationship through the port of Antwerp.”
Moe said that later in the week they will head to Warsaw, Poland, to engage with the Secretary of State specific on energy, and nuclear energy, as well as some of his counterparts at the provincial level in Poland.
Moe said they are looking to “really enhance our activity within a free trade agreement we have with the European Union, the CETA trade agreement, which I would say has been underutilized at this point.”
Moe said the trip, which is being supported by their German trade office, comes with some “very certain outcomes for Saskatchewan companies.” As for what success from this trade mission would look like, Moe pointed in particular to Czechia and Saskatchewan’s expanded presence there as speaking to "the opportunity that we have with that particular nation, and you multiply that by many other nations across the European Union."
“Largely, our opportunities lie where they always do, in commodities, food and energy security, specifically in nuclear power technology and the fuel supply of the uranium that comes from Saskatchewan. But I would say more broadly, as we found our way to Paris, some of that manufacturing expertise that we have in the agriculture sector, the manufacturing expertise we have in the mining sector, which is global-leading, is a very, very easy conversion to the defense space. And as we see countries all increasing their investment in the defence space, this is a very great opportunity for Saskatchewan to expand beyond commodities into that manufacturing space.
"And there's a lot of excitement here, with respect to what some of the Saskatchewan companies are working on and what some of the Saskatchewan companies are capable of building.”
As for agreements, Moe hinted we will see “more in that way of agreements as we find our way to Poland in the next couple of days.”
Moe pointed to Czechia and defence as “two examples of opportunities that are quite real and already in action when it comes to expanding our exports and expanding our trade relations with a country like the Czech Republic, as well as many, many countries that are represented here at the Eurosatory Defence Show.”
