A 10-day bull’s-eye on the back of Canadian trade spelled a setback for Alberta Premier Danielle Smith after newly-inaugurated American President Donald Trump set a date to impose his tariff threats.
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However, Smith told reporters at a Tuesday morning press conference the focus should be on diplomacy and ceasing talks about retaliatory tariffs.
Smith said there is a deal to be made and that she does not believe in “no-win” situations.
“I think that we are looking at this reprieve as being an opportunity for us to make the case about why we should continue to be tariff-free,” Smith said. “But we do have to be prepared that if (Trump is) looking at tariffs as a revenue source then it’s going to require a bit of a different result from us.
“I don’t know that this particular administration, this particular president, responds well to threats, especially empty threats. If he wants more energy security, then you should be talking about how you can provide energy security, not making the conversation about energy security undermined.”
In Trump’s first media conference at the White House, the 45th and 47th president gave different reasons to separate audiences for electing to put a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian products, citing border problems and later saying tariffs will make the United States “rich as hell.”
“I think we’ll do it February 1,” he told reporters Monday evening at the first White House news conference of his second presidency.
“We’re thinking in terms of 25 per cent on Mexico and Canada, because they’re allowing vast numbers of people,” Trump said.
“Canada’s a very bad abuser, allows vast numbers of people to come in and fentanyl to come in.”
More to come.
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