Scott Moe shows what real leadership looks like

When China trade tensions eased, Moe chose to highlight the national interest. Danielle Smith chose to focus on Alberta’s interests

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There are times when Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe shows how a conservative can stand up for provincial interests without sabotaging Canada’s national interest.

That balance—assertive with Ottawa when necessary, cooperative when it counts—has been on display in how Moe has approached trade, diplomacy and the idea of Team Canada. It also highlights what Alberta Premier Danielle Smith continues to ignore.

Take the landmark agreement that Prime Minister Mark Carney reached in Beijing. Overcoming a decade of tense relations and ugly trade tit-for-tat with China was no small feat. It’s fair to say that China has treated Canada as a marionette of the U.S. administration, what with falling into lockstep on 100 per cent EV tariffs and arresting Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou seven years ago at the behest of the United States.

Never mind that both of those actions were arguably justifiable. Both poked the Giant Panda.

Certainly, Canadians have plenty of reason not to trust China, a totalitarian regime known for its human rights violations and capacity to spy on us. And then there was the ordeal of the Two Michaels—Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor—who were arrested and imprisoned on charges widely viewed as without merit, in clear retaliation for Meng’s arrest.

Being able to orchestrate a truce with China, begin to rebuild trust and get punishing tariffs on Canadian canola dramatically reduced was a deft act of diplomacy by Carney, even if Ontario Premier Doug Ford doesn’t like the quid pro quo of allowing a few made-in-China EVs to be sold here. Saskatchewan produces roughly half of Canada’s canola, and China has historically been one of its most important export markets.

Moe, a conservative, was gracious in his comments about Carney’s work and thoughtful in how best to address U.S. President Donald Trump’s economic threats. He called the China deal “very good news for Canada and Saskatchewan.”

More important were his thoughts issued before Carney headed to China. Speaking of working with the Liberal prime minister as part of Team Canada, Moe said: “We need to work together, and we need to work towards that common goal, which is, one, to have existing tariffs removed, and two, I would say, to advance additional opportunities to trade, not only with China, but many other countries around the world.”

In other words, he seemed to be saying that even though he may disagree with Carney on politics, he recognizes that the province and the feds have to work together to improve international trade.

Compare that to Alberta Premier Smith. Her statement after Carney reached his deal with China smacked of a backhanded compliment: Thanks for getting some tariffs reduced; now do some more. She said she welcomes the reduction of Chinese tariffs on canola and peas and hopes to see a similar cut to Chinese tariffs on Canadian pork and other products “in the near future.”

No, “We should work together.” No real recognition that much of anything was done.

Of course, her go-it-alone mentality has been on display for the past year. In January 2025, she was the only premier absent when then-prime minister Justin Trudeau and all the other premiers announced their commitment to “stand together on a united path forward” in the face of Trump’s tariff threats. She also refused to sign the final joint statement from the earlier First Ministers’ Meeting.

In the ensuing 12 months, Albertans have witnessed the rise of free-range separatists, who have travelled repeatedly to Washington, D.C., to raise money, without formal censure or meaningful consequences. Smith’s refusal to condemn their actions reveals where she stands on the issue.

Maybe it’s too late for Smith to join Team Canada. The radicals she courted to build her political power base have grown into Frankenstein’s monster. She probably couldn’t get them to back down now, even if she tried. Which she hasn’t.

But leadership isn’t measured by who you placate. It’s measured by whether you put the country’s economic and strategic interests ahead of provincial grievance politics. Moe has shown that a conservative premier can defend provincial jurisdiction without undermining Canada’s ability to act as a nation. Smith has shown the opposite.

At a time when Canada faces hostile trade pressures, fragile alliances and a volatile global economy, premiers who choose not to work as part of Team Canada aren’t just posturing. They’re weakening the country they claim to stand up for.

Doug Firby is an award-winning editorial writer with over four decades of experience working for newspapers, magazines and online publications in Ontario and western Canada. Previously, he served as Editorial Page Editor at the Calgary Herald.