Prime Minister Mark Carney's Parliamentary Secretary will join Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe on a three day trade mission to China. (Scott Moe/X)

By battlefordsNOW Staff

Trade mission

Canada boosting Sask. efforts to get Beijing to scrap canola tariffs

Sep 4, 2025 | 6:00 PM

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office said he is sending his parliamentary secretary to China to join Saskatchewan’s efforts to get Beijing to scrap its canola tariffs and address other “trade irritants.”

On Thursday, Carney’s office also said “the government will announce additional measures in support of Canadian producers shortly.”

Up until today’s announcement, it was unclear whether the premier would have federal representation join him.

Scott Moe said Parliamentary Secretary Kody Blois will join him along with Trade and Export Development Minister Warren Kaeding, who will lead missions to South Korea and Japan – which Moe said are two growing markets for Saskatchewan’s food, fuel, and fertilizer.

“Saskatchewan produces some of the most sustainable products in the world, and we’re making the case directly in Asia,” Moe wrote in a post on social media.

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Moe said in China he’ll advocate for the province’s producers and businesses, pushing to remove tariffs on canola, pork, and peas. China hit Canadian canola seed with a 75.8 per cent tariff last month, a measure widely seen as a response to Canada’s 100 per cent tariff on Chinese electric vehicles. Moe has called for Carney to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping to resolve trade issues. Both countries have rebooted the Joint Economic and Trade Commission, a forum where Ottawa and Beijing can attempt to sort out issues with bilateral trade, such as Canadian restrictions on Chinese steel imports.

MLA for the Battlefords, Jeremy Cockrill, said having a federal presence on the trip to China is essential.

“We think that’s really important. We’ve seen the federal government step up to protect other industries in our country and we think it’s important that they take as active of a role in terms of standing up for canola producers in Saskatchewan,” Harrison said.

Kevin Kasun, an MLA from Prince Albert Carlton said the tariffs on Canola products have caused serious concerns by many in the industry, including those in the Prince Albert area.

“Our government also continues working to diversify trade markets around the world, so we are less dependent on any one country, as we continue to support producers and work our way through this challenging situation,” Kasun said.

The premier’s trade mission starts Saturday, but the official opposition said it’s a trip Moe should have made six months ago.

The NDP pointed to the latest data from Statistics Canada showing that Saskatchewan merchandise exports to China plummeted by 21.1 per cent in July.

(Submitted/Saskatchewan NDP)

In a press release, they said year-to-date, Saskatchewan exports to China have fallen 28.8 per cent, and by 48.5 per cent comparing July 2024 to July 2025.

“It should not take six months of job-killing tariffs for this Premier to hop on a plane and start doing his job,” said Kim Breckner, Saskatchewan NDP Shadow Minister for Trade and Export Development.

“The Premier should have started planning this mission as soon as tariffs were threatened, not a year later during harvest.”

The NDP said Saskatchewan exports to the United States are also down 25.1 per cent comparing July 2024 to July 2025.

–with files from The Canadian Press

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cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com