She is focused.
“Albertans will go bananas.”
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith does not mince words speaking with Postmedia this day.
There are those suggesting Alberta start sabre-rattling and threatening U.S. President-elect Donald Trump with either completely cutting off Alberta oil to the Americans or taxing the oil heading south.
They are nuts.
But with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the helm nothing is too far-fetched and Smith is absolutely determined to stand up against anybody, including the federal government, who might be tempted to even think about using Alberta oil as a bargaining chip against Trump.
Those wanting to make that play are thinking those thoughts because they know no Alberta oil going stateside would hurt Americans at the gas pump.
One definition of hurt is a dollar more for a gallon of gas in the U.S.
For Smith, don’t go there.
“I don’t think they want to start a national unity crisis at the same time as we’re having a crisis with the United States,” says Smith, of the feds, heading them off at the pass before they even get on their horses.
Then the reality. Albertans are already pissed off.
“I think it would get really ugly really fast,” says Smith, whose government has no intention of stopping energy exports to the United States and is opposed to tariffs.
Premier Smith, please flesh out what you mean by things getting really ugly.
“We already know Albertans are frustrated with the relationship with Ottawa.”
Frustrated is one word for it. There are other more descriptive words you would hear on many a street in Alberta but this is a family news outlet.
“If they start taking another aggressive hit against our industry like that, if they start stealing more of our money and trying to control more of our future I think Albertans will boil over.”
The smart money in Alberta says Smith is deadly serious. Putting Alberta oil on the chessboard is a no-go, stop right there.
They believe cutting off Alberta oil to the U.S. will add fuel to the arguments of some American decision-makers who might want to get off Canadian oil.
If the U.S. couldn’t get Canadian oil they could say: Look, Canada isn’t our go-to source. We can’t count on them.
Smith also asks whether Canada wants Venezuela or Iran or Iraq filling this country’s position in providing heavy oil. We would hope the answer is No.
In fact, the Alberta premier says she wants more oil going to the U.S. That’s the card to play. That’s the point of leverage. Positive leverage.
As for any big brains thinking about taxing U.S.-bound Alberta oil and sending the tens of billions of dollars to Ottawa to be spent by the federal government.
Are you kidding? You know how that would play in Alberta.
One smart soul who knows the score says that is the path of darkness, that is the rabbit hole you don’t want to go down. All hell would break loose.
And who will be there to see it all happen?
Donald Trump.
Besides, many Albertans are still willing to be part of Team Canada even though the team leader is a walking disaster and far too often Team Canada is not on Team Alberta.
The Alberta government is in court against the federal government, the government led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, because of their attacks on the oilpatch.
Smith and her government have brought forward a fight-back plan under the province’s sovereignty act spelling out how they will actively resist Ottawa imposing their planned cap on oilpatch greenhouse gas emissions.
Far too many Canadians elect politicians who are downright hostile to the oil and gas industry.
Now, in some people’s minds, Alberta oil and gas are supposed to ride to the rescue against Trump.
“I don’t know that the rest of the country has fully understood why it is we have stood strong in saying we’re going to defend our right to produce and export it. The Americans understand,” says Smith.
“Reality has been setting in slowly around the world, maybe more slowly in Canada, but I think the reality is now understood. We have an important product. The Americans want it and it’s our intent to find a way to strengthen that relationship.”