Alberta premier under fire for tariff, election comments on U.S. radio show

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s office is refuting claims of election interference after comments she made on a right-wing American radio show earlier this month resurfaced over the weekend.

In an interview earlier this month with Breitbart New, she said the ongoing trade war with U.S. President Donald Trump has given the Liberal Party the upper hand in the polls, and perhaps the April 28 election.

Smith said she had conversations with members of the Trump administration, asking them to consider bringing a halt to tariff talk during the election period.

“I would hope that we could put things on pause, is what I’ve told administration officials,” she said. “Let’s just put things on pause so we can get through an election.”

The NDP accused the premier of foreign interference in the legislature on Monday and opposition leader Naheed Nenshi called her comments “antithetical to democracy.”

“In her own words, caught on tape, she urged government officials in a foreign country to take a certain action in order to influence the results of a Canadian election,” said Nenshi.

Nenshi also criticized the premier for threatening a “national unity crisis” at a time when the country is facing external economic threats. Smith said last week, following a meeting with Liberal leader Mark Carney, the unity crisis could become a reality if the federal government doesn’t meet Alberta’s energy demands.

Smith denied interference in the legislature Monday, saying she’s been consistent with her comments all along.

“We need to have a renegotiated Canada-U.S. free trade agreement, that requires someone with a four-year mandate,” she said.

During the Breitbart interview earlier this month, the premier advocated for Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, saying he would be a better fit with the Trump administration.

Poilievre launched his campaign Sunday after the election was officially called. When asked about Smith’s comments, he redirected to criticizing the Liberal government.

“Well, my response is that the president has said that he thinks it would be easier to deal with a Liberal and with good reason, the Liberals have weakened our country,” he said. “They’ve blocked resource projects, raised taxes, driving our jobs south into the hands of the Americans. A half a trillion dollars of investment has fled our country.”

New Liberal leader Mark Carney addressed the situation at his election kickoff on Sunday.

“With respect to the premier’s comments, I take note of her alignment of Mr. Poilievre with Mr. Trump,” he said. “And would note that that’s one of the decisions that Canadians will have to make, whether they want a government that’s unified, that’s standing up for Canada, and is taking focused action to build a better economy, or they want division – and Americanism.”

According to Carney, the latter is the offering from Poilievre being endorsed by Smith.

‘Offensive and false’

Smith’s press secretary, Sam Blackett, is lambasting those accusing the premier of any wrongdoing.

“Any suggest the premier is asking the U.S. to interfere in Canada’s election is offensive and false,” he said.

Smith says she’s long been advocating for an appropriate end to those tariffs, and vowed to keep going.

“For the last several months, I, and many of my fellow Premiers, have been working relentlessly to convince U.S. officials at all levels just how damaging threatened tariffs will be to both Canadians and Americans,” she said in a statement. “I’ve also repeatedly asked those same officials to refrain from placing any tariffs on Canadian goods until a proper renegotiation of CUSMA can be held following our federal election with a Prime Minister that has won a mandate from Canadians to negotiate with the U.S. President.”

She also reiterated her calls for U.S. tariffs to be halted during the Canadian election.

Electoral officer weighs in

Canada’s Chief Electoral Officer, Stéphane Perrault, addressed the issue in a news conference Monday.

He was asked if Smith’s comment that she asked the Trump administration to pause tariffs until after the Canadian election in hopes of seeing a conservative win constituted elections interference.

“Elections interference is something that is not a term that’s used in the elections act, but there’s a number of provisions in the act that may be relevant to foreign interference,” he explained. “So for example, there is a provision on undue influence by foreign entities. There are rules on spending and third party activities.”

The facts that you refer to do not trigger any of these.”

Smith’s interview with Breitbart News Washington bureau chief Matthew Boyle aired on March 8.

The premier has been making the rounds on U.S. news programs in recent weeks as part of a campaign to lobby against tariffs proposed by Trump. She is also scheduled to appear at a speaking engagement with conservative media personality Ben Shapiro in Florida later this week.

Smith was scheduled to speak at the University of Alberta Monday for a STEM and life sciences budget announcement, but that engagement has since been postponed.