While premiers from most provinces and territories said they backed Prime Minister Mark Carney’s decision to impose counter tariffs on U.S. goods, dollar for dollar, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said on her regular radio call-in show that she worried about the effects of a trade war on Alberta farmers, furniture makers and apiarists.
Smith’s diplomatic tone is driven by her attempt to stay in the good books of the U.S., which is Alberta’s most voracious oil customer, said political scientist Elizabeth Smythe, professor emeritus at Concordia University of Edmonton.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Monday said he aimed to get Smith to using any counter-tariffs possible to force the U.S. to back off, reports Janet French at CBC News.
“A couple premiers have a lot of power to protect Canada’s massive power,” Ford said, hinting at Smith and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe. “I can’t speak for them, but we need everyone to be on Team Canada and throw everything in the kitchen sink at them.”