Alberta oil patch bosses crash Trump’s inauguration party; Smith changes plans

Alberta’s oil patch will be well represented as Donald Trump assumes the helm of the world’s largest oil producer — and consumer — on Monday.

Premier Danielle Smith will join representatives from local energy associations to lobby against potentially crippling tariffs on Canada’s energy sector that could potentially jeopardize some $125 billion worth of annual exports to the Lower 48.

That’s because Alberta is the source of some 4.5 million barrels per day (bpd), or more than 60% of all US imports.

Although she won’t be attending the ceremonies in person due to the cold weather — Smith will instead take part in events from the Canadian embassy — Smith will head a delegation of nearly a half dozen industry groups hoping to dissuade Trump from imposing blanket tariffs on Alberta’s oil sector.

Last week, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) issued a joint statement along with Pathways Alliance, Enserva, the Explorers and Producers Association of Canada (EPAC), and the Canadian Association of Energy Contractors (CAOEC) urging Trump to reconsider his threats to punish Canadian oil exports.

The joint working group represents more than three-quarters of Canadian oil and natural gas production and hundreds of businesses across the country that make up a significant part of the energy industry’s supply chain.

“The oil and natural gas trade between Canada and the U.S. goes back about 130 years. Our member companies operate seamlessly across the border. Our infrastructure is incredibly interconnected and designed to provide Americans and Canadians with the reliable and affordable energy they need, every single day,” said Lisa Baiton, CAPP president and CEO.

“This partnership delivers billions of dollars in value to both economies while keeping energy costs lower for American businesses and consumers. We must do everything in our power to protect this partnership.”

Added EPAC’s Tristan Goodman: “North America’s integrated oil and natural gas market is a key component of the economy and energy security needs of both Canada and the United States. This also provides an opportunity for the Government of Canada to reexamine policies currently under development that would further damage the economic prosperity of the sector.”

In recent days Smith has also made her mark, making a pilgrimage to Mar-a-Lago last week and drawing up plans to get some face time with American lawmakers, including a coalition of Republican governors.

Last week she declined to sign a joint communique with Canada's other premiers vowing to cut off energy exports if Trump were to sign his tariffs into law today.

But despite taking a step back from unilaterally imposing those tariffs by signing 100 executive orders within minutes of being sworn in, Trump repeated his intention over the next days and weeks to do exactly that by creating a new 'Excternal Revenue Service' to collect foreign derived revenues.

He also vowed to “drill baby drill” — presumably to eliminate the need for Canadian oil imports — and eliminate electric vehicle mandates. Canada is subsidizing EV production in Ontario and Quebec to the tune of $35 billion with the hope of presumably exporting them to the US under the Auto Pact.

Those days are over, Trump said.

“Instead of taxing our citizens to enrich foreign countries, we will tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens,” he said in his speech. “The American Dream will soon be back and better than before.”