Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s response to U.S. tariffs has started to gain traction with several other premiers, following her highly criticized decision to refrain from signing a joint statement to take a ‘Team Canada” approach regarding retaliatory measures.
After being the only premier of 13 to refuse to sign a joint statement on Canada-U.S. relations, it now appears she has some support from premiers Scott Moe and François Legault.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s pledge to impose 25% tariffs as early as Feb. 1 on Canadian imports has many worried about the devastating impacts it could have domestically.
While Ottawa’s response has been to threaten “robust” retaliatory measures, potentially even cutting off energy exports to the U.S., Smith stood alone in urging for a more cautionary approach.
Being the only premier to have personally met with Trump ahead of his inauguration, Smith was vocal about her refusal to act in a tit-for-tat manner until the Trump administration had fully implemented its plans.
Instead, she vowed to return to Washington as needed for ongoing negotiations, alleging that her attitude would better “strengthen and grow the trading relationship between our two great and independent nations.
Her sentiment was echoed by Quebec Premier François Legault who, this week, said any retaliatory action involving energy exports south of the border should first require the approval of provinces and those most affected.
“Regarding energy, I think it is important that if it affects a province, that this province has to give its consent first,” said Legault during a caucus retreat in St-Sauveur, Que.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe has also since expressed his desire for a similar approach to the issue.
“Saskatchewan is most certainly not supportive of export tariffs, and will be working actively to ensure that an export tariff couldn’t be applied on Saskatchewan products,” Moe told reporters in Regina on Wednesday.
Today I provided an update on Saskatchewan’s position regarding tariffs. pic.twitter.com/zvc9c9VUeR
— Scott Moe (@PremierScottMoe) January 22, 2025
“If you’re going to put a tariff on oil and potash, Saskatchewan is going to have an issue with that.”
Both premiers agreed in their opposition to placing a dollar-for-dollar tariff on the U.S., contrasting the position of Ontario Premier Doug Ford.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford: "We know these tariffs are coming on February 1st. We need to match those tariffs dollar for dollar, tariff for tariff, and make sure that it hurts the Americans as much as it hurts Canadians." pic.twitter.com/QKFu0qHTIA
— True North (@TrueNorthCentre) January 22, 2025
However, Moe did confirm his support for “small, targeted tariffs” akin to those implemented by Canada during Trump’s first presidency when Ottawa levied tariffs on U.S. aluminum and steel in 2018.
“They’re very targeted… a couple million dollars on a couple billion dollars of imports from the U.S.,” said Moe. “They’re not there to have an impact on the (U.S.) economy, they’re there to change the… hearts and minds of specific policy decision-makers.”
Former Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall shared his support for Smith being the sole premier to hold out from the premiers’ joint statement with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“The rest of the country should be grateful for her leadership,” wrote Wall in a social media post. “So far she is the one highlighting for US friends that when you remove discounted Canadian oil which the US benefits from because they add value to it there – it is the US that has the trade surplus with Canada. She is also meeting with State Governors to find allies – as we tried to do in 2016.”
Wall served as the premier of Saskatchewan from 2007 to 2018 before losing out to Moe.
