Albert Premier Danielle Smith is firing back after being accused by Justin Trudeau of not putting Canada first in a potential trade war with the U.S.
Canadian premiers recently met with Trudeau to discuss strategy over President-elect Donald Trump's threat to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian goods.
On the table was potentially halting Alberta oil and gas exports to the U.S. if Trump imposes the tariff. Smith was the only premier not to sign a joint communique after the meeting.
"How about this for building a “Team Canada ” approach?" said Smith in an X post on Thursday.
"Stop threatening the livelihoods of tens of thousands of Albertans and Canadians via an energy export tax or ban."
Trudeau said of the situation, "Yes, premiers should be advocating for their own industries, their own communities, but they should also put their country first as every single premier except Danielle Smith did."
"We have made it very clear that everything is on the table as potential responses (to Trump), but we've also been very very clear that it has to be fair across the country," Trudeau added.
Smith in her X statement called for the construction on the Northern Gateway and Energy East pipelines to diversify Canada's customer base in Europe, Asia "and our own country."
"Tell Germany, Japan and the rest of the world that there is, in fact, a business case for Canadian oil and gas to be sold to them," she said.
"Repeal the unconstitutional and job killing production cap, electricity regs and C-69 5," she added.
"Treat with respect, and as an equal partner, the Alberta taxpayers that have been transferring hundreds of billions to Quebec, the Maritimes and even Ontario, for decades. Let’s start there on building our “Team Canada” approach shall we?"
In 2023, Alberta exported approximately C$122 billion worth of crude oil to the U.S. In 2024 it was around C$124 billion.
Canadian crude oil exports to the U.S. reached a record high of 4.3 million barrels per day in July 2024.
