Scott Moe disagrees with Trump's tariff threat but says all can agree border security needs work

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe has adamantly disagreed with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s 25 per cent tariff threat on Canada and Mexico, but says he feels all can agree that border security needs to be addressed.

The issue of border security became front and centre again on Monday when Trump said he plans to impose the hefty tariff on all products from Canada and Mexico, unless the two countries address illegal immigration and drugs at the borders.

Moe said earlier in the week a tariff of that nature would be disastrous for not just Saskatchewan, but jobs, energy and food security across North America.

Speaking at the Agribition reception at the legislative building on Wednesday, Moe said that after an emergency premiers meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about the tariff threat, he feels border security could be bolstered by bringing the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Coast Guard right under the military.

“We are a very strong supporter, and we voiced that with our federal government around increasing the border security that we have,” he said.

Moe said he also feels doing so would address concerns around Canada not meeting its required military spending, that is a commitment of being a NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) member.

“It would count as part of our NATO spend, because we will no sooner find this unjustified allegation of the Canadian border being the issue for one of our trading partners, but the next issue is going to be that we aren’t meeting our two per cent NATO [spending] commitment,” Moe said.

The premier said if CBSA spending and investments also counted towards a committed NATO spending target, it would show other allied countries that Canada is making progress.

“Because achieving that two per cent in 2032 isn’t going to work,” Moe said.

Regarding to Trump’s comparison of Canada’s border to Mexico's, Moe, like other premiers and Trudeau, expressed that it needs to be made well known that the amount of drugs and illegal immigrants entering the U.S. from Canada is far less than the number coming from Mexico.