Alberta premier faces backlash for asking America to pause tariffs until after election

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is facing criticism over comments made earlier in March during an interview with an American right-wing news outlet.

Smith recently told syndicated news and commentary website Breitbart that she has asked the Donald Trump administration to put tariffs on pause until after Canada’s federal election, because the trade war is benefiting the Liberals in the polls.

Speaking to Matthew Boyle from Breitbart on March 8, Smith commented that she believes the tariffs imposed by the U.S. are hurting Conservative Party of Canada Leader Pierre Poilievre’s chances of being elected prime minister.

“Because of what we see as unjust and unfair tariffs, it’s actually caused an increase in support for the Liberals. And so that’s what I fear — is that the longer this dispute goes on, politicians posture and it seems to be benefiting the Liberals right now,” Smith said in the telephone interview.

“‘I would hope that we could put things on pause, is what I’ve told administration officials: ‘Let’s just put things on pause so we can get through an election. Let’s have the best person at the table make the argument for how they would deal with that,’ and I think that’s Pierre Poilievre.”

“I would say, on balance, the perspective that Pierre would bring would be very much in sync with, I think, the new direction in America.”

Poilievre has been working to distance himself from the Republicans and President Trump, but an Alberta political analyst said Smith did him no favours.

“We know that Danielle Smith has the potential to be a big liability for Pierre Poilievre. That’s been the case since she became premier and perhaps even before that,” said Lori Williams, a political analyst at Mount Royal University in Calgary.

“Danielle Smith has made Pierre Poilievre’s ability to appeal to moderate Conservatives, or moderate Canadians or swing voters, a bit more difficult.”

Asked about Smith’s comments on Sunday, Poilievre avoided directly responding to anything she said but pointed out that Trump recently told Fox News he thought it would be easier to deal with a Liberal.

The Conservatives have seen their lead in the polls evaporate in recent weeks as Trump and his trade war have become a top issue for voters, according to .

The poll, published last week by Ipsos Public Affairs exclusively for Global News, found if a federal election were held now, the Liberals would secure 42 per cent of decided voter support, compared with 36 per cent for the Conservatives — widening their lead over the Tories by seven points in just three weeks.

Poilievre has shifted his overall messages as Canadian pride surged in the face of Trump’s repeated threats to annex Canada.

He’s putting less emphasis on the notion that “Canada is broken” and striking a more positive tone, vowing to “restore Canada’s promise” — the notion, he said, that “anyone from anywhere can achieve anything.”

In the Breitbart interview, Smith also discussed how she felt former prime minister Justin Trudeau got Canada “into a ditch” after his trip to Trump’s Florida estate Mar-A-Lago following the U.S. Election in November.

Smith said Trudeau made two blunders: by not ensuring Canada was meeting the two per cent military spending target for NATO, and making Canada appear fragile economically.

“He said that tariffs would result in Canada collapsing and I think that was the wrong message to convey because it made us sound very, very weak.”

Williams said the comments in the interview are another bad move by the premier.

“Now that she has essentially suggested that the administration just pause the tariffs during the election — I think that in itself is problematic.

“But to also say that Pierre Poilievre aligns with the values of the Trump administration — I think that becomes quite difficult for Pierre Poilievre,” Williams said, adding it it undermines his claim that Donald Trump wouldn’t want him as prime minister.

Alberta Opposition leader Naheed Nenshi said Smith is putting politics ahead of Canadian unity.

“Danielle Smith is more than happy to placate Trump during the worst economic crisis facing our country than she is willing to work with Canadians,” Nenshi said in a post on X Sunday afternoon.

“Calling for a pause on tariffs to politically benefit one party or another isn’t the right approach. But standing firm for Canada is.”

With the federal election campaign officially beginning on Sunday, the Liberals are already using it against the federal Conservatives.

“With respect to the premier’s comments: I take note of her alignment of Mr. Poilievre with Mr. Trump and would note that that’s one of the decisions that Canadians will have to make,” said Liberal Leader Mark Carney.

“Whether they want a government that is unified, standing up for Canada, and is taking focused action to build a better economy or they want division and Americanism.”

In a statement to Global News on Sunday, the premier’s office said any suggestion Smith is asking the U.S. to interfere in Canada’s election is offensive and false.

Smith added she has been working with other premiers in order to convey to American officials how damaging tariffs could be – and how they need to be put on hold until after an election in order to properly renegotiate CUSMA.

“Now that an election has been called I would reiterate my hope that the United States would refrain from placing tariffs on their closest ally and largest trading partner during the middle of the election,” Smith said in her statement on Sunday.

Smith was scheduled to speak at the University of Alberta for an unrelated announcement on Monday. That event was postponed on Sunday afternoon.

— with files from Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press, and Drew Stremick, Global News

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