Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe returned from his trip to Washington, D.C., where he took part in trade talks with U.S. officials.

Moe and his delegation left the province on Monday and returned Wednesday. During his time in the District of Columbia, the premier attended meetings with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick among other representatives.

“It’s important, I think, for us as a province, to support our federal government in carrying on those lines of communication with our largest trading partners around the world, and our largest trading partner is the United States of America,” Moe told reporters on Wednesday.

The premier said his government has been working alongside provincial premiers and Ottawa to try and support them in reaching a deal with the U.S.

“Tariff free trade, wherever that might be around the world, helps everyone. In particular, it is beneficial to those working in the province of Saskatchewan,” he said.

“We know we have highly integrated economies. Saskatchewan is very globally connected, and that integrated economy is of particular importance when it comes to trade with the [U.S]. With about $30 billion in exports, it finds its way south each and every year,” he added.

Moe said since Saskatchewan is an export-based province, it relies on trade relationships to help create jobs in the province. He said during his trip, he stressed to the U.S. administration that tariff-free trade with Canada will lower the cost of living for Americans.

“We know the United States of America also understands the importance of those exports and that we have in this province, in this nation, in particular, in Saskatchewan, we have everything that people need for us to become not just a Canadian energy superpower, but for us to come together and become a North American energy superpower,” he said.

Pipeline and tankers in northern B.C.

While answering a question posed by The Canadian Press, Moe said he’s hopeful Ottawa and Alberta can make progress on building a pipeline and allowing some oil tanker traffic on the northern B.C. coast.

“We’re part of those discussions as well, and very supportive of not only the removal of the emissions cap, but the opportunity to bring in to that northwestern coast in British Columbia,” he explained.

The Globe and Mail newspaper has reported Ottawa, which is in talks with Alberta on the prospect of building a new pipeline, is considering allowing some tanker traffic in the northern area where it’s banned.

The premier said the changes will aid the province in its goal of exporting more potash, agricultural products and oil.

However, he also said it’s reasonable for the federal government to impose limits on tankers in the area to prevent damage to the environmentally sensitive region.

“That’s not in any way to be said that it’s going to be a free fall for tankers on the west coast. It’s fully within reason to think that there will be work that will be done on specific laneways and things so that there is a minimal impact to the surrounding environment,” he said.

“We all live here as Canadians, and we certainly don’t want to openly, in any way, put our environment at unnecessary risk.”

Moe added that he is confident a private-sector proponent will come forward with a project if regulations are changed.

Trade missions paying off, says Moe

During Wednesday’s news conference, Moe referenced past trips to India and Mexico where Saskatchewan had positive discussions to move forward on negotiations.

“A year ago, we had no Canadian conversations going on in India. We found our way as a province to India to bring the Canadian government [and] the Indian government together to start those negotiations and we see that happening today,” he said.

“Just a week ago, I was out in Niagara’s G7 meeting to meet with the Foreign Affairs Minister from India as well to further that relationship and further that opportunity that we have to find our way to a tariff free agreement with India. The same can be said with Mexico.”

Moe said more recently, the province had seen progress in trade negotiations with the Chinese.

“The province, through our trade office in China, found our way to China, and now have our national government and the Chinese government starting to talk about how we can move forward with a more broad trade relationship than we even have,” he said.

“Recently, we saw our trade relations and the conversation and negotiations, more importantly, with the United States of America, fall apart and break off.”

Moe said because of that, he thought it would be sensible for his government to rely on the relationships with many of their U.S. counterparts to come back to the negotiating table.

“Saskatchewan has the highest per capita export value of any of any state or province in North America. We very much are reliant on our trade relations, and very much create our wealth from exporting product to over 160 countries around the world, the largest of those being the United States of America, China and India,” he said.

“What is good for Saskatchewan is also good for Canada, and we are working towards just that goal. The best way that we feel for that is to ensure that we are creating an environment where both nations can sit down and have those trade discussions to move our province and our nation forward.”