Alberta Premier Danielle Smith blames Trudeau as Trump eyes Feb. 1 tariffs
Smith said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has damaged relationships with the current administration, placing Canada in a complicated position. If there’s a failure of leadership, and if there’s a damage to the relationship, it’s 100 per cent at the feet of Justin Trudeau
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has complicated ongoing negotiations with the U.S. after newly inaugurated President Donald Trump set a date to impose tariffs against Canada.
I don’t know that this particular administration, this particular president, responds well to threats, especially empty threats. If he wants more energy security, then you should be talking about how you can provide energy security, not making the conversation about energy security undermined.
I don’t know that this particular administration, this particular president, responds well to threats, especially empty threats. If he wants more energy security, then you should be talking about how you can provide energy security, not making the conversation about energy security undermined.
“If there’s a failure of leadership, and if there’s a damage to the relationship, it’s 100 per cent at the feet of Justin Trudeau,” Smith said.
“All I can do is try to repair and build relationships that should have been repaired and built over the last four years.”
Smith said at this time it is up to the premiers who will be “consistent voices” and have longer mandates to maintain relationships until a new prime minister is elected in Canada.
The Alberta premier has been criticized by her counterparts and Trudeau for not taking a “Team Canada” approach.
During her time speaking with U.S. officials, Smith said she has been making a case for both Alberta and Canada as a whole.
“I’ve been asking for recognition that this important trade relationship means Canada should get a carve-out,” Smith said.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith meets with U.S. policymakers in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025 ,ahead of the inauguration of President Donald Trump on Monday. Photo by Supplied Photos/Facebook
Canada must implement strategies to maintain ‘special status’
The optimism Smith displayed on Monday — prior to Trump announcing a date to impose tariffs — remained on Tuesday.
She said there are several strategies Canada can implement in order to maintain the country’s “special status” and promote positive relationships with the U.S., including doubling down on border control and cracking down on all “immigration strings and loopholes” that allow individuals who are “hostile” to both countries from entering.
In a “win-win,” Canada would negotiate so the U.S. could buy more oil, timber and agricultural products from Canada, while Canada could buy more American gas turbines and military equipment. Smith added there has to be a “major acceleration” of Canada’s two per cent of GDP NATO commitment which Smith said needs to be done to demonstrate to the U.S. that Canada is a reliable partner in energy security.
Article content
Repealing federal “anti-energy policies” would also be included.
“I think it’s incumbent upon all of the premiers to make sure that we’re making our own case very loudly, very strongly in order to be able to avoid tariffs,” Smith said.
According to figures from Smith’s office, the U.S. is Alberta’s largest trading partner. In 2023, Alberta’s exports to the U.S. totalled US$115.58 billion, accounting for about 90 per cent of total provincial exports in 2023. Of that, energy products accounted for about US$94.4 billion.
On Monday, Quebec Premier François Legault suggested at a news conference that the federal government should compensate provinces that would be hardest hit by a Canadian response to Trump’s 25 per cent tariffs.
Article content
“If a province like Alberta had to make efforts that cost more than all the provinces, there should be compensation from the federal government. The idea is to make Canada win, but not necessarily to make one province pay more than another,” Legault said.
Smith said it was a “premature discussion” and that she is not counting on any dollars at the moment.
Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said Smith’s position on tariffs hurts Canada because it is becoming the story. He said if the premier was in the room during the meeting between premiers and Trudeau, he believes leaders would’ve been able to come to a statement upon which they all agreed.
“I would have imagined that the premier and her government would be working hard with stakeholders to try and figure out what to do, but instead, we have a premier who fundamentally believed that if she only got 30 seconds with the incoming president, she would charm him into completely violating his core economic tenants,” Nenshi said.
Article content
Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said in a statement Tuesday that he believes Canada should consider retaliatory tariffs and urged Trudeau to reopen Parliament.
Canada has never been so weak, and things have never been so out of control. Liberals are putting themselves and their leadership politics ahead of the country. Freeland and Carney are fighting for power rather than fighting for Canada, Poilievre said.
Common sense Conservatives are calling for Trudeau to reopen Parliament to pass new border controls, agree on trade retaliation and prepare a plan to rescue Canada’s weak economy.
By Cindy Tran
