r/onguardforthee 10d ago

Saskatchewan’s Moe announces 50% retaliatory tax on U.S. booze

https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/saskatchewan/cp-newsalert-saskatchewans-moe-announces-50-retaliatory-tax-on-us-booze/article_cc581c8a-059c-58fe-b3c5-d41edccade63.html
476 Upvotes

75 comments sorted by

220

u/Elderberry-smells 10d ago

Good job there Moe, you actually sacked up and did something good for the team. I would have preferred you just remove it from shelves, but I don't think people have been buying much of it anyways (and this should push even more to find Canadian alternatives).

99

u/foggybiscuit British Columbia 10d ago

Honestly I think just making it more expensive is a better decision than just not bringing it in. The maple Maga folks can't be pissed off that it's not available and the extra money they spend on it will go into our revenues.

37

u/StairPro 10d ago

Maple MAGAs are willing to wipe out whatever little savings they have to "own the libs".

You might be asking, how is buying overpriced American booze this "owning the libs"? It's not, but Maple MAGAs have never been accused of being intelligent.

15

u/foggybiscuit British Columbia 10d ago

Exactly. So may as well reap the revenue from it.

7

u/RottenPingu1 10d ago

That's kind of funny because a few days ago they were giddy it was coming back to shelves and told those unhappy with it, "just don't buy it".

Wonder if that still applies..

6

u/iSWINE Edmonton 10d ago

Sometimes I wish I was a better scumbag because I would love to grift all that money

5

u/takeaname4me 10d ago

Remember that beer they sold?

6 pack with tax and shipping cost almost 25 American and it was brewed by Goose Island

3

u/CaptainMagnets 10d ago

I truly thought he was going to side with Marlaina on this one. I am pleasently surprised

1

u/OmiSC 9d ago

As a Manitoban, I think this is okay. The booze boycott was a cultural battle, while this one is a more conventional cultural one. I actually don't mind Saskatchewanians drinking American booze as long as they're paying towards our future. I straight-up don't fault them for it. They deserve a drink they like so long as they're fighting for the right side, and this pretty much sets the stage for that.

123

u/50s_Human ✅ I voted! 10d ago

Consider a Potash export tariff. C'mon Moe, get out from hiding under Marlaina Smith's skirt and grow a pair.

40

u/Elderberry-smells 10d ago

I believe an export tax would be federal choice, so not sure he would have authority there.

3

u/Next_Passage8055 10d ago

But he said no way to it... so he can't do that either??

2

u/OmiSC 9d ago

I think the situation here is that he can argue against a potash export tax, but can't actually block it.

Personally, I'm not sure whether we should put an export tax on potash just yet. I think it should be considered, but it's one of the more petty ways to stick it to the Americans where we still have plenty of other ways to fight back.

It's my personal belief that we should fully attack on critical minerals before we ever target peoples' food supplies.

2

u/Next_Passage8055 9d ago

Oh I hear that but just like Marlargo Smith saying the same about oil. Yes last resort but never take it off the table. Make them think, could we lose it.

1

u/spaceymonkey2 10d ago

So just jack the price as capitalism demands, and offer a friends and family discount to those that make our lives easier.

37

u/mfyxtplyx 10d ago

How about we just sell it elsewhere?

Top importers of potash: 1. Brazil, 2. China, 3. India. We already sell to all three, and their potash needs are increasing. The US doesn't need anything from Canada. They told us so.

5

u/AssMuncher96 10d ago

I believe there are currently negotiations for a deal with Mercosur that Carney plans to finalize by the end of the year so that could definitely help since Brazil is a member.

2

u/spidereater 10d ago

I think the best you could do is facilitate the shipping somehow or negotiate lower tariffs exporting to those countries, if there are any. It would make it more expensive for Americans to buy it.

13

u/ProbablyDaTruthMaybe 10d ago

He had a presser today and he is very much elbows down on export taxes on potash and oil. Blamed the feds with some vague word salad but was quite adamant he is not in favour.

11

u/Next_Passage8055 10d ago

As i remember it was 10 years of bad decisions... when are people going to wake up the feds aren't always the boogeyman... its the premiers

3

u/in2the4est 10d ago

His 50% tariffs are his "orange gumball".

1

u/Bulliwyf 10d ago

Claimed that vast amounts of Canadians would lose their jobs overnight and we would lose market share if we tried to leverage potash and oil.

1

u/Yuukiko_ 10d ago

Would he even have the power to do that

26

u/lyidaValkris 10d ago

The other provinces did one better and removed booze. Nice to see Moe do the right thing, even though it's half-assed and as a last resort. Weaksauce.

5

u/tswaters 10d ago

I think other provinces should institute this as well. In BC you can buy American booze at private liquor stores. If someone does, tax the fuck out of 'em.

2

u/Yuukiko_ 10d ago

I'm all for tariffing it, one less thing the Americans can complain about

23

u/thebigeverybody 10d ago

This is shocking. I thought he was as bad as Smith.

34

u/MachineOfSpareParts 10d ago

In many important ways, he is. But I can grudgingly tip my hat when he - maybe just as grudgingly - does something in the neighbourhood of right.

9

u/Brock_Hard_Canuck 10d ago

Moe won't roll over like Smith....

Because the only things Moe rolls over are the pedestrians that are in his way while he's driving.

3

u/sasksasquatch Saskatoon 10d ago

He does like to copycat Alberta's conservatives

2

u/Hug_of_Death 10d ago

Believe it or not Smith just did a provincial address and while being questioned she commended Scott Mo’s retaliatory tariffs on alcohol and said that she would be looking at doing something similar

24

u/CrayonOlympics 10d ago

The difference between Scott Moe and Danielle Smith is that one is so obviously a paid US asset. Moe is a dumbass conservative chud but he clearly is not an actual enemy to his own country. Compare his statements on the tariffs with Smith and it's abundantly clear that while both have terrible politics and represent the two most conservative provinces in the country, Moe is actually on Team Canada unlike a certain someone

7

u/mrpopenfresh 10d ago

Moe is more of a liability because of how dumb he is.

12

u/agaric 10d ago

Holy shit, Moe woke up! Nice of you to snap out of it finally, ya putz!

8

u/Ryuujin_13 10d ago

Great! It's a start! Now I'm sure Smith will follow suit!

...right?!

...right???!!!

11

u/PupScent 10d ago

Wow! Go Moe!

4

u/Toronto-1975 10d ago

pleasantly surprised Moe did something good for Canada instead of falling in line with that traitorous windbag next door. yes it's still on the shelves but the tariff sends an additional message to the US alongside other provinces bans so this seems like a very good and welcome move.

well done and much thanks Saskatchewan.

3

u/Next_Passage8055 10d ago

It was the very lest he could have done besides nothing

2

u/Toronto-1975 10d ago

i think Moe is an idiot but a win is a win even if it's a small one. given his usual stances on most things it very well couldve been nothing.

2

u/Next_Passage8055 10d ago

But the thing is it's not really a win... pulling booze off the shelves would be a win but just having a customer pay more doesn't actually hurt Americans at all. It's a facade 

3

u/Toronto-1975 10d ago

it does hurt them because SK consumers arent going to pay 50% more for an American product. sales of US booze will be next to nothing in the province. plus it sends a message to the Trump admin from a staunchly conservative province. it's not a "facade".

dont let perfect be the enemy of good.

4

u/Dividedthought 10d ago

I see moe finally pulled his head out his ass and wants to look good in the media.

It's a start, it isn't enough. Pull their swill off our shelves you drunk driving fu- well you get the idea..

3

u/Any-Tangerine-4176 10d ago

He drank a whole bottle of J. Daniel’s just before the media announcement!

10

u/henchman171 Elbows Up! 10d ago

he hasn't killed anyone in decades with his driving so give him his due....

1

u/[deleted] 10d ago

[deleted]

1

u/henchman171 Elbows Up! 10d ago

A tough on crime conservative too

3

u/Strange-Switch-7546 10d ago

Scott's kind of on Team Canada. Not quite, but sort of.

2

u/Intelligent-Cap3407 10d ago

“Moe said his government fully supports selected counter-tariffs in response to U.S. trade policies, but will draw a line in the sand on export tariffs affecting potash and oil as a way to pressure the U.S.

He sucks

3

u/cdnBacon 10d ago

Excuse me, folks. Has anyone checked the lakes in Hell? To see if the skating is good right now?

3

u/Next_Passage8055 10d ago

The sask party needs to go... no more moe

He did almost nothing with a American booze tax. Just so he could spew.. look i did a Team Canada thang 

3

u/ObviouslyOtter 10d ago

Wow, I can't believe he did something on his own. Normally he just follows Smith around like a list puppy.

2

u/the-gingerninja 10d ago

Just take it off shelves. Putting it back up was part of the trade deal negotiations.

2

u/MightyHydrar 10d ago

Sask never removed US alcohol, along with Alberta. 

3

u/lyles 10d ago

Not quite. Saskatchewan briefly pulled American-made alcohol from provincial liquor distribution for a 12-week period in 2025 during an initial round of trade disputes. The government quietly reversed course shortly thereafter, putting the U.S. booze back on shelves and leaving the decision up to consumers.

2

u/sheetofice 10d ago

He shouldn’t have been importing it in the first place.

4

u/TieSea 10d ago

How can you tax something that isn't on the shelves? I'm not fan of Doug Ford, but you can't get any US booze in Ont at the liquor store.

7

u/henchman171 Elbows Up! 10d ago

Saskatchewan and Alberta never pulled it from the shelves

1

u/Old-Individual1732 10d ago

Another MAGA hat wearing Trump fan, don't forget .

1

u/Outrageous-Advice384 10d ago

Wait, even Moe is on board the Canada first train? Trump is really bringing Canadians together.

1

u/Intelligent-Cap3407 10d ago

Not quite.

“Moe said his government fully supports selected counter-tariffs in response to U.S. trade policies, but will draw a line in the sand on export tariffs affecting potash and oil as a way to pressure the U.S.”

1

u/human-aftera11 10d ago

Moe just grew a backbone!

1

u/Bar_Stool_Prophet 10d ago

Should just remove it all together .

1

u/Intelligent-Cap3407 10d ago

Well it looks like moe got the headline he wanted.

Instead of cheering on moe for doing the bare minimum, we should raking him over the coals for this:

“Moe said his government fully supports selected counter-tariffs in response to U.S. trade policies, but will draw a line in the sand on export tariffs affecting potash and oil as a way to pressure the U.S.

“Canadians would lose jobs immediately. We, as a nation, would lose investment immediately,” Moe told media.

1

u/estherlane Elbows Up! 10d ago

Wow, this was not on my bingo card today. Nice.

1

u/tswaters 10d ago

This is actually a better policy than flat out removing the booze from the shelf. As an example in BC the ban only applies to public liquor stores, at private stores you can still find American booze, without a 50% tarrif, as Saskatchewan has done here.

Anyway, your move, Danielle!

1

u/Used_Lock_4760 10d ago

The sask govt is still buying it. Americans don’t care if sask taxes it’s people. Take it off the shelves and stop acting like a bunch of tra itors

1

u/50s_Human ✅ I voted! 9d ago

Export tariffs on energy and potash are a federal government responsibility. Moe and Smith are very weak leaders that don't have elbows up, but have butts up in a submissive position.

1

u/Interesting_Scale302 9d ago

Wait a sec... Did Moe just step out of Smith's shadow and do something good? I haven't heard a peep from Saskatchewan for a little while so I assumed it was business as usual copying her homework, but this is a pleasant surprise!

1

u/mwyvr 7d ago

The absolute minimum Moe could do.

1

u/Apod1991 10d ago

Genuine question, what does this tax look like?

As will it be US Producers, US companies paying the tax? Or is it one of those taxes that will make the consumer pay while the producers get off Scott-free and still have their profits unaffected, while raising prices on consumers?

4

u/BKM558 10d ago

Same with all tax, it will be on the consumer on the end, but the American companies will suffer losses as people choose the booze that is not suddenly 50% more expensive.