Alberta NDP deputy leader Rakhi Pancholi said US President-Elect Donald Trump’s proposed 25% tariff on Canadian exports would wreak havoc on the province’s jobs, workers, and largest export industries. Canadian premiers have called for an all-hands-on-deck approach, wanting to work together to defend the economy. “All except the UCP (United Conservative Party),” said Pancholi in a Thursday speech during Question Period in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. “It’s naive and dangerous to try to negotiate with someone who has proven themselves like Trump to be irrational.” Because Pancholi was displeased with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, she asked if she “was too busy auditioning for a job in Trump’s administration that she’s forgotten her actual job is to stand up for Albertans.” Pancholi started off by saying Trump has threatened a 25% tariff on all Canadian exports — “a move that would devastate Alberta’s economy and put countless jobs at risk.”“Instead of taking a united Team Canada approach, the premier is leaning into Trump’s rhetoric,” she said. “She’s validating his baseless claims and saying she won’t stand up against these tariffs until Alberta meets some arbitrary Trump standard.” For the Alberta economy to succeed, she said it needs exports and a co-ordinated national strategy. She questioned why Smith was amplifying Trump’s talking points instead of standing up for Alberta. While Pancholi had made bold claims against Smith, Alberta Jobs, Economy, and Trade Minister Matt Jones said she stands up for Albertans every day in every action she takes. “And the premier’s responding to our most important trading partner’s valid concerns while also standing up for Alberta’s and Canada’s interests,” said Jones. “We are responsive to all of our trading partner’s concerns.” One example Jones offered was Japan. He said Japan imports 85% of its energy. The Alberta government worked with the British Columbia and Canadian governments to source more energy from it to supply its market. While it wants to work with the American government on its priorities, he said he hopes it works with it on the ones it has. In this case, Jones said Pancholi was wrong. “The premier has been working with premier colleagues across the country and Prime Minister [Justin] Trudeau on how best to respond to both valid concerns of the United States but also our mutually beneficial trade relationship and how we can not only preserve what we’re already doing — about $180 billion per year in bilateral trade — but how we can grow that,” he said. “And Mr. Speaker, we have the answer to United States energy security.” Smith has vowed to double oil and gas production. He assured people the Alberta government was on that. However, Pancholi said Smith was naive and dangerous. “Alberta workers can’t afford a premier offside with the rest of the country, whose too busy trying to get Trump’s attention to fulfill the role Albertans expect of her,” she said. Unlike Smith’s approach, Pancholi said Alberta needs strong leadership to counter Trump’s threats. Since other provinces have stood firm in fighting back against him, she called for her to stand up by fighting for investments, jobs, and exports and stop chasing his approval. Meanwhile, Jones said true leadership starts in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and was proud to stand with Smith as she leads the province. “We have the largest economy, the highest wages, the highest productivity, the lowest taxes,” he said. At the moment, he said Alberta is booming and the US is its top trading partner. He confirmed she and her colleagues will ensure Canada’s priorities are respected and work with the US. Smith said on Monday Trump’s team has valid concerns about illegal activities at the Canada-US border..Smith says incoming Trump administration has realistic concerns about Canada-US border.She called on the Canadian government to work with the incoming Trump administration to resolve these issues immediately to avoid tariffs on exports to the US. “Fortunately, the vast majority of Alberta’s energy exports to the US are delivered through secure and safe pipelines, which do not in any way contribute to these illegal activities at the border,” she said.
