Alberta Premier Danielle Smith speaks to the press for 45 minutes Tuesday morning.
It was after 41 of those minutes when you hear the emotion in her voice while answering a question from your scribbler.
American President Donald Trump is now talking about hitting U.S.-bound Canadian goods with a 25 per cent tariff Feb. 1.
Question: Does Smith see this as a failure of her diplomatic approach as those who clearly don’t like her now claim?
The answer is much more than just No.
For Smith, if there is a failure, one person takes the blame.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“If there is a failure, the failure lands at the feet of Justin Trudeau who damaged the relationship with the incoming president by his antics in the first round of negotiations,” says Smith.
The Alberta premier points to a book by a former U.S. trade representative who says when Trump, in his first term, was negotiating a trade deal with Canada, led by Trudeau, relations between the two countries were at their worst point since the War of 1812.
You read that right.
At this point you can hear the frustration in Smith’s voice.
Fast forward to the present.
“Let’s be super clear about why we find ourselves in the situation we’re in today.
“It lands 100 per cent 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.”
Harris, the former U.S. vice-president, lost to Trump in the election.
“We’re in a trade negotiation with a brand-new administration and we have a prime minister who keeps on poking his finger in the eye of the current administration and has damaged that relationship.
“If there is a failure it lands at his feet, which is why I’m counting down the days to when he’s gone, and we can have a reset. It’s 47 days to go and I hope he doesn’t continue torching the relationship in the meantime.”
Smith says what she is trying to do is “repair and build relationships that should have been repaired and built over the last four years.”
Does the premier believe the Trump administration is taking the Trudeau government seriously?
It’s a question where we all know the answer.
“It’s hard for me to tell. I can only say the constant trolling and mocking of the prime minister suggests the answer is no.”
On Monday, in answer to a question, Trump once again called Trudeau a governor and not a prime minister.
Others in Trump’s world have described Trudeau in far more unflattering ways, expressing scathing sentiments not out of place at many coffee shops throughout Alberta.
Smith says it is up to Canada’s premiers to do the heavy lifting in getting Trump to not go after us with tariffs, at least until there is new leadership in this country.
My fellow Canadians, when there is an election, please don’t screw it up this time.
Trudeau and the Liberals huddled over a fight-back plan against Trump.
“I would hope they don’t think they have to do first strike. That would be foolish.”
In the days ahead, Smith says Canada must get down to what is needed to get Trump on side.
She adds conversations with the Trump administration have been “very friendly” and “very positive.”
She knows lots of Canadians want to hear about retaliation, going after Trump.
Smith is not surprised.
“I understand why people are scared. People are emotional, people are scared.”
The premier believes it’s up to political leaders to tell people they’re working on a solution.
A tit-for-tat trade war is not going to go well for the much smaller Canada.
Trudeau is promising a very strong response to Trump tariffs with every option on the table.
Smith warns: “I don’t know that this particular administration and this particular president responds well to threats, especially empty threats.”
The Alberta premier sees herself as an optimist.
She still believes there is a deal to be made with Trump.
“He likes to win,” says Smith.
“It’s up to us to demonstrate how we can get a double win. I don’t think it can hurt to try the diplomatic approach for a win-win.”
It goes without saying. There are no sure things.
With Trump, there are no sure things hour to hour.
Smith isn’t done with Washington, D.C., just yet. She’s got a few more people to meet.
“They know we’re here and we are here to help. I hope it’s successful. I don’t know whether it will be. I can’t pre-judge the outcome,” she says.
“We do know we have a reprieve here.”