EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is travelling back to Washington, D.C., this week, along with her provincial counterparts, to lobby U.S. lawmakers and industry players amid continued tariff threats. Smith confirmed the trip in a Monday news release, saying she will embrace a “Team Canada approach” to convince Americans the levies would harm workers and businesses on both sides of the border. She also plans to continue highlighting the “significant” role Alberta energy exports play in helping the U.S. At the same time, Smith said Ottawa hasn’t done enough to tackle drug trafficking, one of U.S. President Donald Trump’s main irritants. Smith is once again demanding Ottawa reverse what she calls a “soft-on-crime” federal law. She’s urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government to reintroduce mandatory minimum jail sentences for drug offenders or offer up federal funding for Alberta to take over drug prosecutions. Trump has previously threatened to impose 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs and a 10 per cent levy on Canadian energy. Trudeau has said Canada would retaliate if necessary against Trump’s duties with tariffs of its own on $155 billion of American goods, including alcohol, furniture and natural resources. In the meantime, Canada has been trying to meet Trump’s demands by shoring up border security and drug enforcement with $1.3 billion in spending. It’s also promised to appoint a fentanyl czar, to list cartels as terrorists and to launch a Canada-U.S. team to combat organized crime. Trump delayed those levies until at least March 4 in response to those commitments, saying it would allow time to reach a “final economic deal.” The goalposts moved again on Sunday, when Trump said he’ll impose 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports into the United States on Monday. Hours before that announcement, Smith called for Trudeau’s government to expedite its promise to appoint a fentanyl czar. On Monday, Smith’s office did not directly address the latest steel and aluminum tariff threat. In January, Smith broke ranks with her fellow premiers and Trudeau, dismissing the possibility of a counter-tariff on Alberta’s oil and gas shipments. Alberta has pledged $29 million on its own border security plan. That includes a new sheriffs unit and a designated two-kilometre zone in which sheriffs can arrest without a warrant anyone found attempting to cross illegally or trafficking illegal drugs or weapons. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 10, 2025. Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press
