Danielle Smith blames Trudeau for Trump’s tariff threats, deteriorating relations
"Let’s be super clear about why we find ourselves in the situation that we’re in today. It lands 100% at the feet of Justin Trudeau," Premier Danielle Smith told reporters yesterday.
Premier Danielle Smith placed the blame for incoming U.S. tariffs squarely on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose threat of retaliatory tariffs does not serve Canadian interests, she says.
“Let’s be super clear about why we find ourselves in the situation that we’re in today. It lands 100% at the feet of Justin Trudeau, who even just a few weeks ago gave a speech where he thought it was an affront to women that Kamala Harris didn’t win,” Smith told reporters at a Tuesday press conference.
Alberta’s premier has no intention of threatening the U.S. with retaliatory tariffs, having already refuted export tariffs on energy exports from Alberta.
Premier Smith says current tension with the US "lands 100% at the feet of Justin Trudeau," asserting the Liberals have harmed Canada's relationship with its neighbour.
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) January 21, 2025
"You have to be able to work with both Democrats and Republicans," Smith adds. pic.twitter.com/2yOwUKdRd9
Premier Smith criticized Trudeau yesterday for “poking his finger in the eye of the current administration,” and for severely damaging that relationship.
“You have to be able to work with both Democrats and Republicans, and you have to refrain from expressing a preference for who you would like in the White House,” she said.
Trudeau, during a speaking engagement with Equal Voice Foundation, a gender parity group, claimed ‘regressive forces’ defeated yet another woman vying to become president of the United States.
“It shouldn’t be that way. It wasn’t supposed to be that way,” Trudeau said at the December event.
“There’s a failure of leadership,” Smith claimed of the comments. “And if there’s damage to the relationship, it’s 100% at the feet of Justin Trudeau,” she reiterated.
“There’s 47 days to go, and I hope he doesn’t continue torching the relationship in the meantime.”
Trudeau scolds Americans for electing Donald Trump rather than "its first woman president.
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) December 11, 2024
"I want you to know that I am and always will be a proud feminist," the PM adds. pic.twitter.com/Ehhb6j3C0C
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who prorogued Parliament on January 6, will exit the role on March 9, when his successor is selected. The new leader would then resume Parliament after a Throne Speech on March 24.
The matter of prorogation is currently before the Federal Courts to ascertain its legality. Should the matter not be resolved, and should no opposition party side with the Liberals in a likely March 26 confidence vote, a snap election will be called.
“All I can do is try to repair and build relationships that should have been repaired and built over the last 4 years,” the premier told reporters.
Smith recently told Fox News that she supports a potential Keystone XL revival with the aim of bolstering oil production and building more pipelines.
Despite her reluctance to antagonize President Trump, a new Ipsos poll revealed that 82% of Canadians support retaliatory measures, including tariffs.
Premier Smith says "under no circumstances" will Alberta agree to cut off oil and gas exports to the US after Doug Ford suggested halting Ontario's energy supply to the US in response to Trump's tariffs. pic.twitter.com/HO4K46V3Yo
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) December 12, 2024
As premier, Smith refused to govern her province based on opinion polls. “We're in a trade negotiation with a brand new administration,” she reminded Canadians.
“This is a relationship that’s lasted more than 100 years. We have, from time to time, skirmishes. But you don’t torch a 100-year relationship over a temporary problem,” Smith said.
Trudeau supports matching tariffs dollar for dollar with the U.S., which has a $58 billion trade surplus excluding energy, according to the National Bank of Canada.
Smith seeks an amicable resolution with Canada’s most important trade partner. “You identify the issues that are causing the irritation, and then you work through them one at a time.”
“We don't think that tariffs on American goods coming into Canada are good for Canadian consumers.”
Premier @ABDanielleSmith on Fox Business discussing the restart of KXL, the mutually beneficial relationship between Alberta and the USA, and her trip to Trump's inauguration. pic.twitter.com/Gkpwqrbmkp
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) December 4, 2024
Tensions with the U.S. have been high after Trump threatened both Canada and Mexico with a 25% tariff last November over their porous borders.
The looming sanctions sent the Canadian dollar spiraling downward, following the November 25 announcement, with the GDP expected to fall as much as 5%, according to economists.
“Do you think your message … reduced some of the trade tensions between Canada and the US?” Rebel News asked Smith last month. “We’ve got a very strong case to make that we really mutually benefit from this shared partnership,” she replied.
President Trump pushed back tariffs on Canadian exports 10 days from January 20th, his inauguration day, to February 1st.

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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Bernhard Jatzeck commented 2025-01-22 20:28:14 -0500This dispute with Trump is yet another Trudeau “look—a squirrel!” moment.
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Bruce Atchison commented 2025-01-22 19:49:54 -0500Danielle Smith is 100% correct. Dopey Trudeau is the one spoiling for a fight with Trump and America. Instead of doing like Danielle Smith did, Justin Castro is blustering and threatening. How typical of that spoiled brat.