EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says her government's approach to Canada's trade war with the U.S. has helped shield Alberta's economy from the brunt of President Donald Trump's 50% tariff on select Canadian goods. "I would say part of the reason why we've had a light touch of tariffs on Alberta is that we've engaged in a very constructive diplomatic relationship with the United States," said Smith on Saturday during her Your Province. Your Premier. radio show. .Trump's 50% tariff on select Canadian goods, totalling roughly $28 billion, was implemented on Saturday. Prime Minister Mark Carney has since responded by saying Canada will match with "dollar-for-dollar" tariffs, and the move has been applauded by the majority of leaders across Canada.Canada's trade war dominated much of Smith’s show on Saturday, as individuals asked if Alberta will be joining other Canadian provinces in solidarity, but Smith is not praising the retaliation. "We shouldn't be cheering if our farmers have to pay 50 percent more for all the equipment that they need to produce our food," Smith said. "That's not a success for us.""It's not something we should be cheering on. It's something we should be lamenting. This is why I don't love tariff wars, because they hurt everybody. They hurt us producers, and they hurt our consumers.".Ontario Premier Doug Ford has been among the most combative leaders, and his province's economy is expected to be one of the ones most impacted by the latest round of tariffs. Conversely, Smith has been restrained throughout the negotiations, arguing against tariffs and calling for Ottawa and the U.S. to keep negotiating. "I know those who are experiencing tariffs is painful, and we're going to do what we can to get that down to zero, but 97% of our products go across the border tariff-free, and we have not done nasty ads in the United States," Smith said. "We have not called names on the president at podiums to be able to get cheers and laughter. We try to take a diplomatic approach in all things that we do, and I think that the results speak for themselves."Energy is viewed as one of Canada’s strongest cards in negotiations with the U.S., as some individuals have called for Ottawa to impose a levy or even cut the supply flowing to the U.S. In July, Smith said she would try to prevent Canada from making the “very dumb decision” of using energy as a bargaining chip. .The decision by many provinces to pull U.S. alcohol brands from stores has reportedly been a pressure point for American officials. Alberta has opted not to participate in the ban, and Smith said her government intend to join in response to the increased tensions. "I leave it to you," Smith said. "If you don't feel like you want to buy products, then it's up to you to decide what products that you want. We trust that Albertans can make their own decisions, so we won't be going down that track."
