Premier Danielle Smith in meeting down in Washington, D.C. on January 19. Photo courtesy Danielle Smith/X.

By Erika Rolling

Provincial Politics

Smith focused on Canada-U.S. trade deficit, not Trump tariff threats

Jan 21, 2025 | 11:16 AM

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has been down in the United States recently, talking to U.S. President Donald Trump about his imposed 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian goods, which are expected to start February 1.

In a media discussion with Smith on Tuesday morning, she says the trade relationship with the United States is a positive story and should not include retaliatory tariffs.

“We’re an economy that’s one-tenth the size of the Americans, that we are far more reliant on the trade relationship with them than they are on us. And so trying a tit-for-tat tariff war without addressing underlying issues, it’s not going to go well for Canada.”

“Canada actually buys more U.S. goods and services than the Americans buy with us, about $58 billion according to a National Bank survey.”

Smith says addressing the trade deficit includes talks of Canadian oil and gas exports.

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She says Americans consume 21 million barrels every day, whereas they only produce 13 million barrels per day, and “have to get the balance from somewhere.”

“I think we have a very strong case to make with oil and gas as one component, but whether it’s uranium or germanium or any of the other critical minerals, we’ve got a very strong case to make. And so that’s why I say, let’s go in with some confidence. And I think that’s the true Team Canada approach.”

Smith says her time in Mar-a-Lago earlier this month with Trump revolved around talks of energy security for the U.S. and how Alberta and Canada can be providers while Americans export their own resources internationally.

She says the Trump administration has put people in “key positions that have a deep understanding of the energy industry and Canada in particular.”

Smith also agrees with Trump and says Canada needs to “double-down” on border security.

“I think that there was a good start made with the (federal government) announcement of 1.3 billion in border security, but an announcement is one thing. Implementing it is another.”

She believes more officers and additional resources at borders will show Americans that Canada wants to be a partner and wants to address issues/concerns at hand.

Smith will be down in Washington, being apart of meetings and roundtable discussions until Thursday, January 23, before returning to Alberta.