Prime Minister Trudeau meets with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith

Smith, Trudeau meet in Calgary The carbon tax was at the forefront for a meeting between the premier and prime minister in Calgary.

For the first time in months, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith met face-to-face with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Calgary.

Trudeau was on a trip to Alberta on Wednesday, stopping in Calgary at SAIT and speaking about the federal government's national dental care plan, but announced no investments for Calgary specifically.

He also met and spoke with seniors in northeast Calgary.

Earlier this week, Ottawa announced 1.3 million seniors, 70+ had signed up for the national dental care program.

Wednesday was the first time Smith and Trudeau had been together since last summer's Calgary Stampede.

Seven Canadian premiers, including Smith, have demanded the federal government pause its incoming carbon tax hike on April 1.

"As you saw, even Liberal Premier Andrew Furey (Newfoundland and Labrador) announced yesterday that he believes that there should be a pause on the increase as well," Smith said.

Smith said the price on pollution is astronomical and impacts everyday, working Albertans.

But Trudeau defended his government's policy.

"My job is not to be popular, although it helps my job," he said.

"My job is to do the right things for Canada now and do the right things for Canadians a generation from now and that's what I've been focused on."

Smith pointed to federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault as an instigator.

"I let him (Trudeau) know that I don't have as great a relationship as with his other ministers," Smith said.

"I expressed my desire in person that if he chose to make a change in that portfolio, I'd be happy to have a reset in our relationship on that front. But we're going to work on the things that we can work together on."

Trudeau said Smith and others should learn to work with Guilbeault.

"If people are having trouble getting along with him, maybe they need to look at their own approach to these big issues as opposed to looking at what he's talking about," Trudeau said.

Trudeau said he has the utmost confidence in his minister and does not plan to fire him, despite several requests from Smith.

Smith did speak highly of Trudeau's involvement in the Trans Mountain pipeline, which is "nearly to the finish line."

"It's going to be a major boost not only for Alberta, but also for the entire country."

While they haven't been in the same room for a while, Smith said she and Trudeau have been working together on a number of other initiatives, particularly those aimed at reducing emissions.

"It's great to be back in Calgary," Trudeau said.

"In addition to all the investments and the work we're doing on creating jobs and a positive future for Albertans where we're glad to be big partners in the future of Canada by investing in the future of Alberta."

The relationship between the provincial government and the feds has been strained in recent months.

Smith has spoken out about a range of federal policies.

Most recently, the Alberta government announced it will be opting out of a national pharmacare program.

The deal would allow every Canadian with a health card to access free diabetes medication and birth control.

The province says it won’t let Ottawa pick and choose what coverage is available to Albertans.

Smith has also voiced concern with recent federal climate goals, emission cuts and the carbon tax.

She’s claimed Alberta’s power grid would fail if it tried to reach the targets and called the emission cuts unconstitutional.

Smith has also been leading a controversial proposal to pull the province from the Canada Pension Plan.