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Alberta Premier Danielle Smith plans to meet with U.S. officials next week during a trip south of the border.
According to Sam Blackett, press secretary for Smith, the meetings have been added to a trip planned and booked months ago.
“As the Premier said earlier this week, Canadian legislators should be doubling down on diplomacy with members of the U.S. Congress and lawmakers in both parties to ensure they understand how destructive these tariffs are for the American people, and how we will be there to help as soon as the tariffs are reversed,” Blackett said in an emailed statement.
Smith is expected to meet with Mark Ezell, the commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, Stephanie Coleman, the head of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce and the CEO of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp., Deana Ivey.
The premier will be joined by Alberta’s senior U.S. representative Nathan Cooper.
Earlier this week, Smith said the U.S. had “no excuse for their behaviour” after trade talks fell apart, but did not believe Canada could win through “brute force.”
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She also rejected calls by the Opposition NDP, along with others such as former premier Jason Kenney, to use Alberta’s energy exports as a high-stakes bargaining chip.
The U.S. has the power to cripple Canada energy-wise, she cautioned.
Smith predicted if Canada were to enact a 50 per cent tariff on the four million barrels of oil exported south each day, the U.S. would retaliate with tariffs of 50 to 100 per cent on refined oil and gas products exported to Canada, such as aviation fuel.
Blackett said Alberta’s diplomatic efforts include participation in organizations like the Council of State Governments (CSG) Midwest, where MLA for Lacombe-Ponoka Jennifer Johnson serves as representative for the province.
Johnson, a backbencher in Smith’s United Conservative caucus, is expected to be joined next week at the U.S. organization’s annual Midwestern Legislative Conference by six members of Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe’s caucus.
Saskatchewan is a full member of the Council of State Governments Midwest, while Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario are affiliate members.
During a news conference this past week, Smith also called for an accelerated approval timeline for the West Coast pipeline her government is pitching, and that she’s formed two committees in response to the breakdown in trade talks.
Smith said one committee, made up of her cabinet members, is set to meet Thursday to discuss following Saskatchewan’s lead by imposing a 50 per cent tax on U.S. alcohol brought into that province.
She said she prefers Moe’s approach to an outright ban on American alcohol in Alberta, noting Canadian products aren’t blocked from going south of the border.
—with files from Global News’ Karen Bartko and The Canadian Press
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