Former Alberta Premier Rachel Notley urges unity in tariff response

Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley announces she is stepping down from her position, in Edmonton on Tuesday January 16, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

Former Alberta NDP leader and premier Rachel Notley said she’s ready to help Canada weather the incoming storm should president-elect Donald Trump order tariffs on Canadian goods after his inauguration on Monday.

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Notley was asked by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to be one of 18 members of the new Canada-U.S. relations council, which met for the first time on Friday.

With representatives from across industry and interest groups, it will counsel the federal government on how best to respond to any tariffs on Canadian goods.

Trump first threatened 25-per-cent tariffs in late 2024, citing border security concerns. However, after the federal government announced a $1.3-billion border security package, his focus shifted to the trade deficit between Canada and the U.S.

On Friday, the Canadian government said it was ready to respond with retaliatory tariffs on certain American goods should Trump follow through.

Smith has publicly split from the "Team Canada" tariff response being promoted by the prime minister and every other Canadian premier, saying she cannot support any strategy that includes a potential ban or export tax on Alberta energy.

Notley said she understands Smith’s concerns, as Alberta has much to lose and cannot be asked to take on a disproportionate amount of fallout from a trade war.

That said, she believes Smith’s refusal to get on board with a united approach is a mistake.

“I understand the importance of our oil and gas industry to Albertans and absolutely we need to make sure that the economic interests of Albertans are protected as much as they can be,” Notley said. “But we need to be doing that in a thoughtful, strategic, disciplined way. And that’s not what we’re seeing from Danielle Smith.”

Smith recently visited Trump in Florida to promote Canadian and Albertan energy, and she will be flying to the U.S. on Monday to watch his inauguration, though not in person.

While relationship building with U.S. officials is a good strategy, Notley doesn’t believe Smith’s – or any other premier’s – efforts alone will be enough to avoid Trump’s tariffs and the resulting harm to Canadians and Americans.

“A lot of people have said it, and it bears repeating: there’s actually nothing that Canada can do to create more pressure on Americans than what Donald Trump is doing by bringing in these tariffs,” she added.

“Common sense should be what stops this from happening. That doesn’t seem to be what’s in play right now.”

Notley said the best strategy right now is to remain strong and united, and despite Smith’s stance, she believes Albertans are ready and willing to take part in that.

“That doesn’t mean that they embrace every strategy that’s being discussed at the table, but at the same time, they’re proud Canadians and they understand the threat that this poses to people all across the country,” she said.

“Throughout Canada’s very proud history, we have, on a number of occasions, earned the honour of being seen as punching well above our weight,” Notley said. “And part of the way we do that is we come together when it’s necessary.”

Trump has also threatened Mexico and China with tariffs.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Judy Trinh and The Canadian Press