Alberta Premier Danielle Smith recently faced criticism for comments made during an interview with American right-wing news outlet Breitbart. In the interview, Smith stated that she had asked the Trump administration to pause tariffs until after Canada’s federal election, as she believed the trade war was benefiting the Liberals in the polls. She expressed concern that the longer the dispute continued, the more it seemed to be helping the Liberals, particularly Conservative Party of Canada Leader Pierre Poilievre’s chances of being elected prime minister.
Poilievre has been trying to distance himself from the Republicans and President Trump, but Smith’s comments may have made that more challenging for him. Political analyst Lori Williams suggested that Smith could be a liability for Poilievre by making it harder for him to appeal to moderate Conservatives, moderate Canadians, or swing voters. Despite Smith’s comments, when asked about them, Poilievre did not directly respond but noted that Trump had recently stated he thought it would be easier to deal with a Liberal government. The Conservatives’ lead in the polls has dwindled as Trump and his trade war have become a prominent issue for voters.
In response to Trump’s threats and the trade war, Poilievre has adjusted his messaging to focus on Canadian pride and positivity. He is now emphasizing the need to “restore Canada’s promise” and the belief that anyone can achieve anything in Canada. Smith also criticized former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for mishandling the situation by not meeting military spending targets for NATO and making Canada appear economically fragile. She believed Trudeau’s message of Canada collapsing due to tariffs made the country seem weak.
Williams criticized Smith for suggesting that the U.S. should pause tariffs during the election and for aligning Poilievre with the values of the Trump administration. This move could undermine Poilievre’s claim that Trump would not want him as prime minister. Alberta Opposition leader Naheed Nenshi accused Smith of prioritizing politics over Canadian unity and working with Canadians. With the federal election campaign officially starting, the Liberals are using Smith’s comments against the federal Conservatives by highlighting the importance of standing up for Canada and building a better economy.
In a statement, Smith’s office denied allegations that she was asking the U.S. to interfere in Canada’s election. She clarified that her goal was to work with other premiers to convey the damaging effects of tariffs to American officials and emphasize the need to pause them until after the election to renegotiate CUSMA properly. The premier’s office reiterated the hope that the U.S. would refrain from imposing tariffs on Canada during the election period. Smith was scheduled to speak at the University of Alberta for an unrelated announcement, but the event was postponed following the controversy surrounding her comments.
