Alberta Premier Danielle Smith Touts Diplomacy in Trade War Negotiations

At a recent meeting of Canadian premiers, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith expressed confidence in Prime Minister Mark Carney's strategy for dealing with US President Donald Trump's trade war threats. A key component of this strategy is the use of diplomacy to find 'advocates' among American businesses and consumers, who can help push for a comprehensive deal removing all tariffs imposed by Trump.

Smith noted that Alberta has been successful in finding these voices, particularly in the energy sector, where Canada exports oil, critical minerals, uranium, and food products. She emphasized that the US needs Canadian energy to keep consumer prices low and prevent shortages of gasoline, aviation fuel, or diesel.

In contrast, Heather Exner-Pirot, director of natural resources at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, warned against using oil as a bargaining chip, citing Canada's reliance on US markets for its largest export. She stated that stopping oil production in Canada would almost certainly put the country into recession.