REGINA, Sask. — Opposition New Democrats were trashing the government's response to U.S. tariffs on Wednesday, with Trade critic Kim Breckner laying into Premier Scott Moe.
"I just finished Scott Moe's response to the tariffs and I have to say I felt embarrassed for him," Breckner said at the Legislature about Moe's remarks that afternoon in Prince Albert. She called his plan "really dumb."
In Prince Albert, Moe had announced the province would impose a 50 per cent counter-levy on U.S. alcohol in response to the U.S. tariff on Canadian alcohol. Breckner took issue with that approach.
"He is taxing American alcohol coming into Canada, and that's a tax that our Crown corporation, the importer, SLGA, will have to pay to the federal government on booze he says that Saskatchewan people aren't even drinking," she said.
"It should be off the shelves, period."
Breckner also said Moe "didn't address how he's going to protect workers or address the increased cost of living that he says is coming."
"He stood up and ruled out export tariffs and nobody's saying that's where we need to go today or even in the future, but it benefits nobody to stand up and publicly decry what we will and will not do in a trade war."
Breckner also accused Moe of being "critical of the wrong people" in his remarks.
"He went on a 10-minute diatribe about Justin Trudeau and B.C. and pointing fingers at everybody except the man, Donald Trump, who is attacking our economic sovereignty. I say it's time Scott Moe gets on Team Canada."
Breckner elaborated further on what she wanted to see the Moe government do about alcohol sales.
"At the minimum, that he is taking American liquor off our shelves, that he's not letting our public liquor distribution system be used to facilitate the sale of American liquor when we're in a trade war," Breckner said.
"It's a very simple concept. I don't understand why he's not doing it and getting on board with what every other premier, except the one facilitating a separatist vote, is doing."
She was referring to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. Alberta has also resisted liquor bans and will hold a vote in October on whether to pursue a future independence referendum.
Breckner also said she would have liked to "have heard his plan on how he's going to protect workers in dealing with the rising cost of groceries and gas. I'd like to know that he is on Team Canada and he's willing to do what it takes to be part of that team and to protect the people of Saskatchewan."
In a statement, Finance Minister Jim Reiter responded to what Breckner had to say about U.S. alcohol.
"Nothing the NDP critic said about the 50 per cent levy on U.S. alcohol is even remotely accurate. The levy will be charged by and paid to SLGA, not paid by SLGA. It will not be paid to the federal government. This is why no one takes the NDP seriously."
