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Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe’s trip to Washington, D.C., involved more than just attending the funeral of Sen. Lindsey Graham.
The provincial government announced on Monday that Moe would spend part of this week in the U.S. capital after being invited to attend the funeral by the Graham family.
Moe’s office confirmed the premier travelled separately but co-ordinated with federal Internal Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc, and attended the funeral with him.
Attending the funeral has already drawn criticism from the Official Opposition, who say Graham was a friend and ally of President Donald Trump. With escalating tension over Trump’s latest announcement of impending tariffs, the NDP said honouring Graham is unacceptable.
“We believe that it’s not appropriate for the premier of Saskatchewan to be openly supporting somebody who was instrumental in creating such devastating impacts on our economy,” said Kim Breckner, the NDP’s trade critic.
The provincial government has pointed to Graham’s previous trips to Saskatchewan in 2009 and 2015 as proof of the close relationship between Saskatchewan and the late senator of South Carolina.
Charles Smith, a professor of political studies at the University Saskatchewan, said there’s valid points on both sides.
“On the one hand, you can see there’s this, there’s a bit of a relationship. On the other hand, it seems the timing is open for criticism, and I think we’re seeing that now,” Smith said.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe was among the attendees at the funeral service for Sen. Lindsey Graham at the Washington National Cathedral on Tuesday. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)
Trip expands beyond funeral
The provincial government has confirmed that while in D.C., Moe spoke with a trio of U.S. cabinet officials, including Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
Moe was unavailable for an interview on Friday, but his office said he advocated for “a free and fair trade relationship with our largest trading partner, the United States.”
The premier has maintained a consistent position that Canada is better off with a close relationship to the United States.
He has also broken from the majority of other premiers and Prime Minister Mark Carney by openly advocating for Canada to not retaliate if Trump’s new tariffs are implemented in August.
WATCH | Premier Moe: It’s time for us to intensify our negotiations:
Premier Moe: ‘It’s time for us to intensify our negotiations’
U.S. President Donald Trump levied a new set of tariffs on Monday on everything from alcohol to hockey sticks, which Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says will ‘ultimately weaken our North American industry.’ Moe speaks to Power & Politics while at the first ministers’ meeting in Charlottetown.
It’s why the visit has a potential of backfiring, Smith said.
“I think it lends itself to the criticism that certain conservatives, especially in [Western Canada], seem to be much more closely aligned with their ideological connections to a certain brand of conservatism and in alliance with certain Republicans in the United States, than with broader national issues affecting Canada,” Smith said.
Smith contrasted Moe’s visit with the opposition shown by Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who has been a “very vocal critic” and called for retaliation against Trump’s new tariffs.
On Tuesday, the premier met with Canadian Ambassador to the United States Mark Wiseman and Canada’s chief trade negotiator Janice Charette.
Moe then took additional meetings with unspecified U.S. officials on Wednesday before flying home.
WATCH | Premier Scott Moe travels to Washington to attend funeral, talk trade:
Premier Scott Moe travels to Washington to attend funeral, talk trade
The Saskatchewan NDP has called on Premier Scott Moe to pay back any taxpayer funds used on his trip to attend Sen. Lindsey Graham’s funeral. The provincial government says Moe was travelling as premier and conducted official Saskatchewan business.
National Affairs Canada has confirmed it was aware of Moe’s trip to D.C.
The NDP have held multiple news conferences this week calling for Moe to pay back any public dollars used in the trip. Those calls are unlikely to go anywhere.
Moe travelled to Washington in his capacity as premier of Saskatchewan and government officials say the premier also engaged in “provincial business” during his stay.
Both of those reasons would qualify for Moe’s expenses to be reimbursed.
Ukrainian ties
Moe’s office confirmed he also spoke with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Saskatchewan has previously taken in refugees fleeing from the country’s conflict with Russia.
Officials said Moe thanked Zelenskyy for his “courageous leadership against Russian aggression.”
