REGINA, Sask. — As sweeping American import bans take effect and President Donald Trump demands an apology, Prime Minister Mark Carney is laughing off the latest threats from the White House. Meanwhile, Saskatchewan is accelerating its push for energy independence as Premier Scott Moe announces a massive expansion of provincial nuclear power.
Podcasts are available now on GX94, Yorkton, or on 620 CKRM, Regina, hosted by Steven Wilson. Or read the transcript below:
Steven Wilson — Welcome to Trade Dispute: Impact on the Prairies. I'm Steven Wilson. The United States' trade war against Canada officially crossed a major threshold this week.
At 12.01 a.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, Washington converted 50 per cent tariffs on roughly $1 billion of Canadian goods into absolute import bans. Specified alcoholic beverages, whey products, non-alcoholic beer, and large-engine motorcycles are now completely excluded from the American market. President Donald Trump followed the bans with a demand for an apology, stating he expects Canada to ask for a trade deal within weeks.
Prime Minister Mark Carney literally laughed off the demand on Tuesday, telling reporters Canada stands ready to negotiate in good faith. The rhetoric from the White House continued to escalate, with United States Trade Advisor Peter Navarro publicly telling Canadian lobbyists to, quote, get the hell out of the country. Despite the attacks, the federal government says it will freeze any further retaliatory measures ahead of the American midterm elections.
Meanwhile, Carney's refusal to bow to Washington has generated widespread buzz that he could win the Nobel Peace Prize or Time magazine's Person of the Year. Political analysts say either award would leave President Trump furious and further destabilize relations.
As cross-border relations fracture, the push for energy independence on the prairies is accelerating rapidly. On Tuesday afternoon, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe announced a massive shift in the province's energy grid, driven by the need to secure reliable baseload power.
Scott Moe — Today we are announcing plans to build about 2,600 megawatts of nuclear generation by the year 2050. This will include more than 2,000 megawatts of power that will come from large-scale nuclear reactors, the first of which is being planned and it will be expected to come online about 2042.
Steven Wilson — The premier noted that securing domestic power is essential to keeping Saskatchewan competitive as international trade remains volatile. He says the nuclear outbuild is about far more than just keeping the lights on.
Scott Moe — Nuclear power is more than just an energy source. It is a nation building opportunity. It's an opportunity to add value to the natural resources that we have produced and mined here for years.
It's an opportunity for us to strengthen our economy for generations to come and it's an opportunity for us to utilize that outbuild to create jobs, attract investment and secure long-term prosperity for Saskatchewan families.
Steven Wilson — The project relies heavily on collaboration with Indigenous leaders to develop the workforce and supply chain. Sheldon Wuttunee is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Saskatchewan First Nations Natural Resource Centre of Excellence. He says the sector offers massive potential for partnerships.
Sheldon Wuttunee — We've recognized that as you mentioned, Mr. Premier, that the supply chain component of the nuclear sector moving forward is going to have enormous demand right across the globe and for us here in Saskatchewan. What a great opportunity to work together as First Nations and non-First Nations to come together to build those partnerships.
Steven Wilson — The provincial push for nuclear power is also finding rare alignment with the federal government. Crown Investments Corporation Minister Jeremy Harrison says the collaboration with Ottawa proves that energy infrastructure can bridge political divides.
Jeremy Harrison — I've said publicly often that you know there's a lot in Canada that pushes us apart. Nuclear is one of those things that really can bring the country together. From Ontario to Western Canada to New Brunswick we have elements of our nuclear supply chain right across the country.
This is something that can bring the country together.
Steven Wilson — While Saskatchewan builds its energy grid, other prairie provinces are tracking their own economic fortunes.
The Manitoba government released its first-quarter fiscal update on Tuesday officially noting the provincial economy remains resilient despite ongoing trade disruptions.
In Alberta, beef producers are increasing their focus on internal traceability tools to help ranchers navigate closed-off market dynamics.
Prairie consumers are also pivoting inward as the American import bans hit and cheap foreign goods were dumped into Canada. Reporting on Wednesday highlighted a massive spike in citizens turning to community-supported farms to protect domestic agriculture even at higher costs.
South of the border, the mood is far more anxious.
Agriculture networks servicing North Dakota and Montana report the $1 billion import bans have triggered deep alarm among exporters, raising fears that the entire North American trade pact could collapse. In response, North Dakota lawmakers are holding emergency meetings to evaluate state-level tax incentives to stimulate internal growth.
Tomorrow we'll have more from Fort McMurray where Prime Minister Mark Carney is making a major pipeline announcement.
I'm Steven Wilson. Thank you for listening to Trade Dispute: Impact on the Prairies.
Listen daily @9 am to 620CKRM and GX94 for new installments of Trade Dispute: Impact on the Prairies.
