BREAKING: Alberta FLIPS OFF Trudeau over threat of export tariffs
‘Alberta will simply not agree to export tariffs on our energy or other products, nor do we support a ban on exports of these same products,’ says Premier Danielle Smith.
Premier Danielle Smith has ruled out federal export tariffs on Alberta energy and other goods, following a hectic meeting of the premiers and outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
She outed the federal government Wednesday afternoon for “publicly and privately” floating the idea of imposing export tariffs on Alberta. “Until these threats cease, Alberta will not be able to fully support the federal government’s plan in dealing with the threatened tariffs,” she said.
“Alberta will simply not agree to export tariffs on our energy or other products, nor do we support a ban on exports of these same products,” reads a statement posted to social media.
When asked about her remarks, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters: “I respect that she's concerned about protecting her energy and that's her choice, but I have a little different theory.
“Protect your jurisdiction, but country comes first,” he claimed. “Canada is a priority, and I don't believe in jeopardizing one sector or another.”
Alberta did NOT sign the joint communique at the end of the meeting with the Premiers and the Prime Minister.
— Mackenzie Gray (@Gray_Mackenzie) January 15, 2025
Danielle Smith is the only premier who didn’t come to the closing press conference.
Here is what the other Premiers and the PM agreed on #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/gskauJSRbh
The Trudeau Liberals considered export tariffs on staple resources late last year to counter U.S. tariff threats over its porous borders. “Export tariffs on our own products… is exactly as ridiculous as it sounds,” Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said at the time.
“The fuel that comes from largely Saskatchewan and Alberta into U.S. refineries, it’s going to cost more. Thus will your groceries, thus will everything,” he told reporters yesterday. Saskatchewan sends roughly $30 billion in products to the United States each year, who in turn sends the province 80% of its imports.
Premier Smith, meanwhile, urged Canadians to use this tariff threat as an “opportunity to correct the misguided direction of this country.”
“I will be travelling to Washington D.C. this week for the inauguration,” Smith said, “and will be returning to the United States several times over the coming months to meet with U.S. lawmakers and officials to continue to make the case against the imposition of tariffs on Canadian products and to strengthen and grow the trading relationship between our two great and independent nations.”
“We will take whatever actions are needed to protect the livelihoods of Albertans from such destructive federal policies,” she concluded.

Alex Dhaliwal
Calgary Based Journalist
Alex Dhaliwal is a Political Science graduate from the University of Calgary. He has actively written on relevant Canadian issues with several prominent interviews under his belt.

COMMENTS
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Bruce Atchison commented 2025-01-15 19:15:48 -0500Is it any wonder that Trudeau and other leaders are out of step with ordinary citizens? In his warped view, we have to save the planet no matter how it ruins our economy. But we who pay attention to the climate know that there’s no crisis and it’s bad government policy which causes disasters to be magnified. The Jasper and Los Angeles fires are proof of poor leadership, not impending climate catastrophe.