Hours after the U.S. slapped devastating 25 per cent tariffs on virtually all Canadian goods, Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi slammed the UCP government, saying it continues to get it wrong on the tariff threat.
Calling it an “existential threat” to Canada’s economy and way of life, Nenshi described the U.S. tariffs as the “largest threat that we have seen as Canadians” in an exclusive interview with the Calgary Journal.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith released a statement on Tuesday morning, predicting the import tax will lead to hundreds of thousands of job losses for Americans and Canadians – calling the import tax “foolish and a failure in every regard.”
“These tariffs will hurt the American people, driving up costs for fuel, food, vehicles, housing and many other products,” added Smith.
Smith also pledged that Alberta “fully supports” the federal government’s response to U.S. tariffs.
Hours after Trump’s executive order imposed blanket tariffs of 25 per cent on most Canadian goods and 10 per cent on Canadian energy, the federal government hit back, levying counter-tariffs on $30 billion worth of U.S. goods.
Smith’s statement promised to outline more details of Alberta’s response to the U.S. tariffs on Wednesday.
Nenshi criticizes Smith’s focus on diplomacy
Smith has focused on diplomatic solutions over retaliatory tariffs for the last few months. The Alberta premier even met with incoming U.S. President Donald Trump at his Florida home and travelled to Washington for his inauguration in January.
“Her response has been endlessly frustrating,” said Nenshi, “She’s acted as the pick-me girl in all of this.”
Nenshi added that Smith’s efforts to charm American officials and other corporate leaders, such as Kevin O’Leary, a Canadian businessman and television personality, also demonstrate the Premier’s lack of an actual plan.
“She fundamentally believed that if she promised Kevin O’Leary, the moon and the stars in return for an invitation to Mar-a-Lago, that in the 30 seconds, she had with the President, she would somehow charm him and convince him to abandon his entire economic policy,” Nenshi said.
Nenshi questions why Smith is waiting to outline a response
Nenshi also took aim at Smith for not talking directly with people in her Prairie province on the day the tariffs were imposed.
“Since the tariffs came into effect, our premier, Danielle Smith, has not spoken to Albertans. She has been briefly on American television, but she hasn’t spoken to Albertans,” he said.
Smith did a television interview Tuesday morning with CNBC.
The Alberta premier told the American cable business network that Trump’s tariffs could result in her energy-rich province looking to other worldwide markets to sell its oil.
“I would love to sell double the amount that we are right now to the United States,” said Smith.
“Now, we’re going to have to look at how we can sell more out the West Coast, out the East Coast and up north because the Americans don’t want our products the rest of the world does,” she said on CNBC.
Nenshi also questions why Smith is waiting a whole day to announce a response to the tariffs.
“Other than one appearance on American TV, she is hiding, desperately trying to craft a plan that should have been in the works since Trump told her to pound sand,” he said.
Nenshi calls for reponse focused on more than oil and gas
The NDP leader also criticized Smith for focusing solely on the challenges facing Alberta’s oil and gas industry, saying the UCP premier has largely ignored other industries, such as agriculture.
“There are eight billion mouths to feed in the world, but the government’s not there helping producers develop new markets for themselves or develop more value add or increase the use of agri-tech technology to improve yields and improve products,” said the NDP leader.