by The Honorable A. Brian Peckford
February 14, 2025
Premier Smith To Quebec City /Ottawa First Then To Washington -My Response To Premier Smith’s National Post Article —I Have Requested National Post To Publish It .
Premier Daniel Smith Should Talk To Quebec ( and other Provinces) First !
Premier Smith’s article in your paper today is well intentioned but misguided. Yes, to Washington, together, but first let’s ensure the pipelines in Canada are doable.
By writing this alone rather than at least having the Western Premiers with her she tends to erect the very barriers she alleges she is trying to eliminate. Was an attempt made to include other Premiers in this article.
So Premier Smith should be actively discussing with the other Premiers and the Federal Government an approach to Quebec to get them on side to support a pipeline through their Province. That will be true nation building.
It’s nice rubbing shoulders with the big wigs in Washington but the real politics is to ensure we have our own house in order.
A. Brian Peckford P.C.
Former Premier Of Newfoundland and Labrador( 1979-1989)
Danielle Smith: How Team Canada can overcome Trump tariffs
Let’s build pipelines in all directions using steel from Ontario and Quebec, and workers from everywhere
Author of the article:
Danielle Smith, Special to National Post
Published Feb 02, 2025 • Last updated Feb 03, 2025 • 4 minute read
Join the conversation
Alberta premier Danielle Smith, left, talks with colleagues during the fall meetings of Canada’s premiers, in Toronto, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Like most Canadians, I was very disappointed with U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to place tariffs on all Canadian goods. This decision will harm both Canadian and American consumers, workers and businesses alike, and strain the historic and important friendship between our two nations.
Although the U.S. president has valid concerns regarding the need to address the fentanyl crisis and illegal migration, we, in Canada, share those same concerns and have been working hard since his election to partner with the Americans to crack down on those illegal activities.
Initiating a tariff war by breaking the trade agreement signed by our two nations during the president’s first term is simply not justifiable, nor will it address the problems he seeks to solve.
Canada has responded with counter-tariffs of our own on specific U.S. imports that Canadians can generally purchase domestically or source from non-U.S. suppliers.
Although I understand the need for this proportionate response, make no mistake, a tariff war with the United States will hurt millions of Canadian families, workers and businesses. As premier of Alberta, I am calling on my fellow premiers, the prime minister and all of our national leaders to de-escalate the rhetoric as much as possible and look to diplomacy and advocacy as our primary tool to resolve this conflict.
Diplomacy matters. The sustained diplomatic efforts and advocacy of the Government of Alberta and industry over the last couple of months is a primary reason why Canadian energy including oil, gas, critical minerals, electricity, and uranium received a reduced tariff of 10 per cent. This will save tens of thousands of jobs across the country.
Calm logical discussion is far more effective than “tough guy” rhetoric when dealing with a misguided ally who has wronged us.
That is why I am planning to return to Washington, D.C., twice more this month to participate in the Republican Governors Convention and to visit with dozens of elected and administration officials. I will never stop telling Alberta’s and Canada’s story to our friends and allies south of the border. I encourage all elected Canadian leaders to do the same. The Canadian-U.S. friendship with the American people is far more important and enduring than any one person. We would do well to remember that.
I also continue Alberta’s call for the appointment of a border czar to coordinate the securing of our border against illegal migrants and drugs moving in both directions, and to announce that Canada will achieve our nation’s NATO commitment to spend two per cent of GDP on defence by 2027. These things should be done for the safety of all Canadians regardless of our trade dispute with the United States.
Canada is a great nation with a remarkable history and a resolute people. We will get through this challenge if we come together using a Team Canada approach. But those are just words. What does a Team Canada approach really mean?
It needs to be said that Ottawa’s parade of anti-energy policies, red tape on resource development, lack of investment in our Armed Forces and our soft-on-crime laws have left our country in an incredibly vulnerable and weakened state economically and politically.
As an example, the current government’s blocking of the B.C Northern Gateway pipelines and regulations that led to the Energy East pipeline being cancelled, the dithering on approving LNG terminals and pipelines, and the investment uncertainty intentionally sown by Ottawa have our country almost entirely reliant on our U.S. customers to purchase almost all of our largest export, namely, Canadian oil. As a result, we are vulnerable to this very kind of trade dispute.
If we are going to thrive as a nation again — if we are going to control our own destiny independent of the actions of other countries — we must stop limiting our own prosperity and inflicting economic wounds on ourselves.
Canada can and must now come together in an unprecedented effort to unleash the true economic potential of our country, which possesses more wealth and natural resources than any other nation on Earth.
To this end, I call on the federal government and my fellow premiers to immediately commence a national joint effort to fast track and build multiple oil and gas pipelines to the east, west and north coasts of Canada and to construct multiple LNG terminals on each coast using steel from Quebec and Ontario, and workers from every part of the country. Let’s unleash the development of critical minerals in every province and territory by fast tracking government approvals. Let’s free our nation’s entrepreneurial spirit by lowering absurdly high taxes, reducing red tape and tearing down interprovincial trade barriers once and for all.
Our nation can overcome the formidable economic challenges ahead. But we can only do so if we start acting like a healthy and functional country that supports every province to develop, manufacture and export their very best resources and products around the globe.
We need to break down barriers — not create them — as we have done for far too long.
By so doing, Canada can become one of the most prosperous and powerful nations on earth.
That is what a real “Team Canada” looks like.
And Alberta stands ready, as always, to help lead in this effort.
