Nenshi meets with U.S. official to advocate for Alberta amid ongoing instability in Canada-US relations

'Now is not the time for a victory lap'
Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi and U.S. Consul General Emily Fleckner
Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi and U.S. Consul General Emily FlecknerCourtesy Naheed Nenshi
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Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi met with U.S. Consul General in Calgary, Emily Fleckner, to strengthen Alberta-U.S. relations amid ongoing trade instability.

“A day after the U.S. administration unveiled its new tariff policy, I had a productive meeting with the U.S. Consul General, Emily Fleckner,” Nenshi said in a social media post on Thursday.

“We discussed the importance of Alberta to the United States.”

Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi and U.S. Consul General Emily Fleckner
Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi and U.S. Consul General Emily FlecknerCourtesy Naheed Nenshi

Nenshi may be late to the Canada-U.S. relations recovery effort, which was led by Premier Danielle Smith and others. However, he avoided meetings with controversial figures like Ben Shapiro.

Fleckner is much safer — she holds a master’s degree in national security from the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, R.I. Before joining the Foreign Service, she worked as a senior editor at the Economist Intelligence Unit in New York and earned a master’s degree in political economy from the London School of Economics.

As of Friday, the Canada-U.S. trade conflict has intensified, fuelled by recent tariff actions and retaliatory measures. The situation stems from U.S. President Donald Trump’s imposition of sweeping tariffs on imports, including a 25% tariff on all foreign-made vehicles announced earlier this week and 25% duties on steel and aluminum from all countries, effective March 12.

Canada and Mexico initially received an exemption for goods compliant with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), but this reprieve ended on April 2, heightening tensions.

“Now is not the time for a victory lap,” Nenshi said on X, responding to Smith’s more optimistic stance on tariffs.

“We must focus on what lies ahead — fortifying the Canadian economy, protecting workers and industries, and recruiting the best and brightest to Alberta. Keep those elbows up — we’ve still got work to do.”

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