'NOT A CHANCE IN HELL:' Smith's chief of staff says Alberta's oil industry will not enter Canada's trade war

EDMONTON — Premier Danielle Smith's chief of staff, Rob Anderson, says the UCP has no intention of allowing Alberta's oil industry to become a bargaining chip in Canada's trade dispute with the U.S., despite calls from leaders saying Ottawa cannot negotiate without the nation's largest source of leverage. "How do I say this politely… Not a chance in hell," wrote Anderson in an X post on Tuesday in response to a news article about former Premier Jason Kenney saying oil needs to be on the negotiating table. .Leaders and political commentators have called for Smith to offer Alberta's oil exports as a bargaining chip and now a weapon in the nation's trade war with America after the countries failed to reach a trade agreement prior to Friday and President Donald Trump imposed a 50% tariff on select Canadian goods. Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi joined the fray on Tuesday, claiming Smith is the only Canadian leader not fighting for Team Canada, and that Alberta's oil must be offered as an option, regardless of whether it should be enacted. "Nobody wants us to turn off the taps to the United States," said Nenshi during a press conference. "But I'll tell you this: when you're negotiating, especially when you're negotiating with a bully, you don't start with one hand tied behind your back." Though many individuals have called for Alberta's oil to be used as a trade weapon, Smith and Prime Minister Mark Carney, arguably the only two with a say in the matter, have opposed the drastic retaliatory measure. On Monday, Smith said cutting Alberta's energy export to the U.S. is "not a viable option," and would be "extremely harmful to Canadians." .Alberta has been relatively sheltered from the impact of the U.S. tariffs, with just 3% of Alberta's economy affected, largely due to Trump's decision not to tax Canadian energy exports. Anderson said the UCP do not intend to cause any self-inflicted burdens. "We won’t gamble with the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Albertans…ever," Anderson wrote. Smith and the UCP have been outspoken in their opposition to Ottawa imposing measures against the U.S., warning that the financial costs of tariffs filter down to consumers, and that retaliation only escalates the dispute. "There is still time before these counter-tariffs take effect on September 8, and I am urging the federal government to use that time to get back to the negotiating table with the United States," wrote in a statement on Tuesday.

'NOT A CHANCE IN HELL:' Smith's chief of staff says Alberta's oil industry will not enter Canada's trade war

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