Alberta Premier urges Canada to renegotiate US trade before retaliatory tariffs take effect

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith called on the federal government to return to the negotiating table with the United States before the counter-tariffs scheduled for September 8 are enforced. She warned that the tariffs on U.S. imports such as steel, aluminum, smartphones and golf clubs could raise costs, disturb supply chains and endanger jobs across the province. Ottawa has announced a suite of relief measures for businesses but Smith said Alberta will assess whether additional provincial support is required.

A spokesperson for Minister Joseph Schow estimated that about 11.1 percent of U.S. imports into Alberta—roughly $4.8 billion in goods—could be affected. Opposition leader Naheed Nenshi urged the province to take stronger action, including reinstating a ban on U.S. alcohol and postponing an upcoming referendum on Alberta’s possible separation from Canada. Former premiers Jason Kenney and Alison Redford also warned against dismissing oil and gas as a bargaining chip, a stance Schow rejected as risking 140,000 jobs. Smith reiterated that Albertans should decide for themselves about U.S. products and that the referendum will proceed to gauge public sentiment.