Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she’s disappointed with U.S. President Donald Trump imposing tariffs on Canada and will work with Ottawa on an appropriate response.
Her response comes as the U.S. White House confirmed Sunday that Canada would be hit with 25 per cent tariffs on all goods, and energy with 10 per cent on Tuesday, Feb. 4.
The statement says Canada and Mexico, the latter also facing 25 per cent tariffs, need to halt illegal immigration and stop “poisonous fentanyl and other drugs from flowing into our country.”
It says fentanyl entering the U.S. through “illicit distribution networks” has sparked a national emergency and public health crisis.
China is also facing 10 per cent tariffs, with the White House saying it has failed to stem the flow of chemicals to “known criminal cartels and shut down money laundering by transnational criminal organizations.”
Following the announcement, Smith said Alberta will do what it can to convince Trump and U.S. allies to reverse this “mutually destructive policy” that will harm “Canadians and Americans alike, and strain the important relationship and alliance between our two nations.”
Smith also went on to say the 10 per cent tariffs on energy are due in part to the advocacy the Alberta government has done to point out the “substantial wealth” created in the U.S, whose companies refine and sell $100 billion of Canadian crude into $300 billion of product worldwide.
She said if oil and gas exports are excluded, the U.S. sells more to Canada than Canada to the U.S., reiterating that northern country buys more from the U.S. “than any other country on earth.”
“There is, therefore, no economic justification for tariffs imposed on any Canadian goods,” her post reads.
Meanwhile, Smith says Alberta will work with Ottawa and fellow provinces on a proportionate response to the tariffs, suggesting using Canadian import tariffs on U.S. goods easily purchased from Canada and non-U.S. suppliers.
“This will minimize costs to Canadian consumers while creating maximum impact south of the border. All funds raised from such import tariffs should go directly to benefit the Canadians most harmed by the imposed U.S. tariffs,” she said.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced retaliatory 25 per cent tariffs against $155 billion of U.S. goods, starting with $30 billion worth on Tuesday, and the remainder 21 days later.
The announcement came just hours after Trump slapped Canada with tariffs. He elected to go ahead with retaliatory tariffs even though Trump’s order includes a mechanism to escalate the rates if Canada retaliates against the U.S.
The federal government released a list of goods affected by the retaliatory tariffs on Sunday.
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Smith has said Canada should fast-track and build oil and gas pipelines to the east and west coasts and repeated that in her post.
“Our province and our nation can overcome the formidable economic challenges ahead. But we can only do so if we start acting like a healthy and functional country that supports every province to export their best resources and products to world markets, thereby achieving their unique potential,” Smith said
“By doing so, Canada can become one of the most prosperous and powerful nations on earth. Alberta stands ready to do our part if this true Team Canada approach is taken.”
Smith, for the most part, has been largely against retaliation. She refused to sign a joint statement from all other premiers and the prime minister to use export taxes on Canadian energy as a leveraging tool in January.
Smith also travelled south for a face-to-face meeting with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida. It was an effort to stave off Trump’s promised 25 per cent levy on all Canadian goods — including Alberta’s mainstay oil and gas exports.
Meanwhile, NDP leader Naheed Nenshi says the tariffs will have a “devastating” impact on jobs and the economy, and other sectors in Alberta will face the full 25 per cent tariffs, including agriculture and manufacturing.
“So where is our Premier? Make no mistake, Danielle Smith’s Washington D.C. selfie tour and balls-and-parties charm offensive has failed every Albertan and every Canadian,” his statement reads.
“We need to have a real plan for restructuring our economy, not the Premier’s tired talking points. Alberta needs to take the lead on building Canadian and international markets for all of our products, including pulling down internal trade barriers. And we need a plan to protect small businesses, workers and families from the impact of these tariffs.”
Smith also continued to suggest Canada appoint a “border czar” to secure the border against “illegal migrants and drugs moving in both directions,” and to achieve the country’s two per cent of GDP NATO commitment by 2027.