Danielle Smith announces Alberta’s tariff battle plan

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says her government is taking steps to react to U.S. tariffs and adds an export tax on energy is not off the table.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced some changes she says will combat U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs, installed on Tuesday.

The measures include the provincial government, its agencies, school boards and municipal governments shifting to companies in Alberta, Canada or countries that possess a free trade agreement for procurement, avoiding the future purchase of U.S. alcohol and VLTs and directing grocers and retailers to properly identify and label goods produced in Canada.

“Albertans, like so many Americans, also feel a strong sense of identity and are fiercely independent as our fellow Canadians are well aware,” she said.

“Let there be no mistake, Albertans, as independent as we are, are strong and loyal Canadians.”

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Smith said her government will also help advertise locally made products with an campaign to educate Albertans about where to find them.

She also turned her sights to markets even closer to home, extending the opportunity for all provinces to do business in Alberta.

“My government will enter into free trade and labour mobility agreements with every province that is willing to do so,” she said.

“The goal is to have no exceptions – just free trade and free movement of Canadian workers right across our province.”

Smith spoke to CNBC on Monday, saying the installation of tariffs was “disappointing” and “damaging” and reiterated those comments on social media on Monday and again during Tuesday’s availability.

“The tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump are an unjustifiable economic attack on Canadians and Albertans,” she wrote.

“They also represent a clear breach of the trade agreement signed by this same U.S. President during his first term. These tariffs will hurt the American people, driving up costs for fuel, food, vehicles, housing, and many other products. They will also cost hundreds of thousands of American and Canadian jobs. This policy is both foolish and a failure in every regard.”

She also said that any counter-tariffs by Canada will hurt consumers, but Alberta fully supports the federal response.

“Now is the time for us to unite as a province and a country. We must do everything in our collective power to immediately tear down provincial trade barriers and fast-track the construction of dozens of resource projects, from pipelines to LNG facilities to critical minerals projects,” Smith said.

She also noted that Canada must increase ties with other nations in Europe, Asia and the Americas for all trade and said Canada must “increase military spending” to ensure the country is protected.

Carney will be tough with Trump

Mark Carney, one of the candidates for Liberal leadership, was speaking with supporters in Calgary on Monday night.

He also shared his thoughts about what his talks with Trump would look like, if elected, but stopped short of actual pledges.

“It starts with counter-tariffs that were announced today. It includes many other options with respect to our resources for example, including energy, and there are different types of energy,” he said.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to pre-commit to anything with respect to either.”

With files from Mason DePatie