4mo ago

U.S. plan to restore Russian fertilizer market funds Ukrainian death: Premier Moe

www.ctvnews.ca

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/41301894

Following Moe’s remarks, NDP Leader Carla Beck said it was about time that he woke up to Trump’s threats.
[Emphasis mine]
I couldn't agree more.

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Even after reading this headline twice I couldn't understand it, so here is the first few lines of the article for anyone with the same issue:
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says a plan by the United States to restore Russia’s ability to sell fertilizer is a backchannel that funds Ukrainian death and suffering.
“This is the most disturbing action that I think we’ve seen from (U.S. President Donald Trump) since his election,” Moe told legislators Tuesday.
“In essence, what he is doing is funding (Russian President) Vladimir Putin’s regime ... and funding the death of Ukrainians.”
- Threatening to annex Canada is apparently not that bad to Moe. Enough said.
Why should we buy Canadian fertilizer when we can buy Russian 🤡
- Especially when the Russian and Belorussian fertilizer needs to be shipped via sea. Why would we let the trucking industry work?
It’s a shame from a tariff response. Threatening to embargo fertilizer exports was a lever I thought we’d be able to pull before next planting season.
Next best thing is to export to other countries so we’re not competing with Russia in a rigged market.
Moe is a dick but he’s also correct that the US paying Russia for fertilizer will hurt Ukrainians.
- Yes, but also no. Canada not only has a lot more potash than Russia does but we're also better equipped to export it to the US. For potash to get from Russia to the US it would have to be transported overland to a port, loaded onto a ship, travel essentially across the entire globe, make port, unload, get put on a train or truck, and sent to where it is needed. And that's assuming Russia even has the infrastructure to facilitate exports of such a scale to the US. Exporting it from Canada means tossing it on a train just yeeting it down across the border. Even with hefty tariffs with Canada in place, buying from Russia would still be pissing money away.
  Canada still has leverage over the US when it comes to potash but Russia selling to other countries is a problem.
  
  Ah, that makes me feel a bit better lever-wise when you consider the logistics.
Moe is an idiot!
- Yes he is, but in this instance (and I hate to say it) he's also right.
  
  Not denying that our DUI hire is right, just that he is an idiot who did not plan for Trumps stupidity in the budget.

11 comments