Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has sharply criticized the United States' trade actions, labelling them a "betrayal" and rejecting any notion of leveraging energy resources as a weapon in the ongoing trade conflict. Speaking at a press conference in northern Alberta, Smith doubled down on her stance against retaliatory energy tariffs, calling the U. S. measures "tragic, unjustified, and wholly unnecessary."
The Premier stressed the importance of diplomacy and de-escalation in resolving the trade dispute. She warned that using Canadian energy exports as leverage could provoke a forceful U. S. reaction, potentially leading to reciprocal tariffs that would cripple the economies of Ontario and Quebec. Smith argued that such actions could result in Canada losing the U. S. as a customer "entirely and maybe forever," leading to hundreds of thousands of job losses across the country.
Instead of escalating the conflict, Smith called for a focus on national projects and business relief, proposing a strategy of being "too friendly, kind and helpful to resist" to de-escalate the situation. She expressed hope that the U. S. would reverse its tariffs after the upcoming November midterms, urging the federal government to use the remaining time to return to the negotiating table. Alberta is also implementing measures to support businesses impacted by the trade dispute, including a new online portal for feedback and the formation of a business advisory committee. The province continues to advocate for accelerated timelines on pipeline projects, aiming to strengthen Canada's energy export infrastructure.
