RED DEER — Prime Minister Mark Carney says he does not see the value in using Alberta oil as a bargaining chip in trade discussions with the US, claiming that one of Canada's biggest commodities is trust. "Being a reliable supplier is important," said Carney during a press conference in Red Deer on Wednesday when the Western Standard asked about using Alberta's oil as a bargaining chip with the US. "Canadians are reliable. Canadians can be trusted.""One of the things that you see in the world, we have many exports and commodities, one of the biggest commodities, arguably the best, is trust. People trust us. And so when you're a supplier of a key commodity, key service, you got to think really hard about not supplying." .On July 20, US President Donald Trump introduced a 50% tariff on select Canadian goods. Days later, Ontario Premier Doug Ford suggested harsh retaliatory actions, such as cutting the flow of Canada’s energy to the US, as a bargaining chip with the US amid the ongoing trade dispute. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has insisted that Alberta's oil should not be used as a bargaining chip, and on Thursday she warned against the harms of doing so, saying she is going to try to prevent Canada from making a "very dumb decision." Carney echoed a similar, but less direct sentiment in Red Deer, and said he can understand the idea of using Canada's energy as a bargaining tool conceptually, but he also does not see the value in doing so. "We have this is an incredibly diverse country economy; we have many things we can do," Carney said. "First and foremost is to work towards an agreement. That's what we're going to do. But there are other things we can do if we need to address the situation." However, Carney said his government is currently focused on finding a mutually beneficial solution. .Individuals have cautioned Ottawa against using Alberta's oil in negotiations, especially given the current independence debate bubbling in Alberta, arguing that interfering with the lifeblood of Alberta's economy would inflame the sense of alienation and anti-Ottawa sentiment. The Western Standard asked Carney whether the risk of fueling the independence movement factored into his decision, and Carney said it does not. "It's a bigger, more fundamental issue," Carney said.
