Chinese tariffs on canola oil, meal would be disastrous for Saskatchewan: Moe

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says workers at canola crushing plants in his province would be out of jobs should China move ahead with planned retaliatory tariffs on canola oil and meal.

Moe said prime minister-designate Mark Carney must immediately talk with China to prevent the levies from being imposed next week. Carney is to be sworn in as prime minister Friday.

“There needs to be action by our federal government before any election call to engage with China to ensure the canola industry is not left in purgatory,” Moe told reporters Thursday.

“The legacy of closed canola crush plants across Saskatchewan and across Canada would be the Liberal government’s to wear.” 

China is planning to impose 100 per cent tariffs on canola oil, meal and peas in response to Canada putting levies on Chinese-made electric vehicles, steel and aluminum.

“The people that will be working in those (canola crushing) plants will not have a job for a period of time,” Moe said of the tariffs’ effects.

“More impactful than the temporary loss of jobs in the canola crush industry is the markets that we are losing. They were incredibly hard to build in the first place and they are going to be incredibly hard to regain.