Alberta Premier Danielle Smith Issues Statement on American Tariffs

 

 

I am disappointed with U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to place tariffs on all Canadian goods. This decision will harm Canadians and Americans alike, and strain the important relationship and alliance between our two nations.

Alberta will do everything in its power to convince the U.S. President and Congress, as well as the American people, to reverse this mutually destructive policy.

We note the reduced 10% tariff for Canadian energy which is partially a recognition of the advocacy undertaken by our Government and industry to the U.S.

Administration pointing out the substantial wealth created in the U.S. by American companies and tens of thousands of American workers that upgrade and refine approximately $100 billion of Canadian crude into $300 billion of product sold all over the world by those same U.S. companies.

It is also worth noting that if oil and gas exports are excluded, the United States actually sells more to Canada than Canada sells to the U.S.. As I’ve stated to every American policymaker I’ve met with these past months, Canada buys more from the U.S. than any country on earth – more than U.K., France, Germany, Italy and Vietnam combined.

There is, therefore, no economic justification for tariffs imposed on any Canadian goods. Alberta will continue our diplomatic efforts in the United States to persuade the U.S. President, lawmakers, Administration officials and the American people to lift all tariffs on Canadian goods as soon as possible and to repair our relationship with the United States.

I encourage all Premiers and federal officials to do the same, especially as the effects of these tariffs begin to take their toll south of the border.

Americans need to understand the detrimental consequences of this policy decision. Alberta will also work collaboratively with our federal government and fellow provinces on a proportionate response to the imposed U.S. tariffs through the strategic use of Canadian import tariffs on U.S. goods that are more easily purchased from Canada and non-U.S. suppliers.

This will minimize costs to Canadian consumers while creating maximum impact south of the border. All funds raised from such import tariffs should go directly to benefit the Canadians most harmed by the imposed U.S. tariffs.

Alberta will, however, continue to strenuously oppose any effort to ban exports to the U.S. or to tax our own people and businesses on goods leaving Canada for the United States. Such tactics would hurt Canadians far more than Americans.

We also continue Alberta’s call for the appointment of a border czar to coordinate the securing of our border against illegal migrants and drugs moving in both directions, and to achieve our nation’s 2% of GDP NATO commitment by 2027.

These things should be done for the safety of all Canadians regardless of our trade dispute with the United States.

Despite the disappointment of today’s decision there is also an incredible opportunity before us as a nation. Canada can and must now come together in an unprecedented effort to preserve the livelihoods and futures of our people and expand our political and trade relationships across the globe. We can no longer afford to be so heavily reliant on one primary customer.

We must stop limiting our prosperity and inflicting economic wounds on ourselves. Rather, we must unleash the true economic potential of our country, which possesses more wealth and natural resources than any other nation on earth.

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