‘Let’s just put things on pause': Alberta premier under fire for Breitbart interview

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is under fire for an interview she did March 8 with Breitbart in the U.S. over controversial remarks that appear to suggest she asked the Trump administration to lay off their tariff threats until after a Canadian federal election in the hopes of seeing Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives elected.

In the interview, with Breitbart Washington correspondent Matthew Boyle, Smith lambasted Prime Minister Trudeau’s handling of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and said she had pitched U.S. government officials on the idea of pausing the implementation of tariffs until the federal election is over, with the hopes of seeing Conservative Pierre Poilievre elected.

“The longer this (tariff) dispute goes on, politicians posture, and it seems to be benefiting the Liberals right now,” Smith said. “So 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.”

A number of Canadian political observers criticized the interview on social media.

“Something kind of weird about this,” said former Postmedia columnist Stephen Maher, who is the author of a biography of Justin Trudeau. “Canadians should decide Canadian elections, and Canadian politicians should not ask the Americans to interfere by delaying trade actions until after we vote.”

A similar comment was offered by Alberta economics professor Andrew Leach, who said, “Particularly, Canadian Premiers should not be asking foreign administrations to alter their policies so as to affect Canadian elections in a manner that the premier would like.”

Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt reposted a link to the article with a one-line comment.

“This is a damaging interview by Smith,” he said.

His MRU colleague Lori Williams said, in an email to CTV News, “This is not surprising, but potentially problematic for Poilievre – especially the reference to just pausing the tariffs and woke stuff.

“This could reinforce views about PP (Poilievre) being Trump-like.”

In another part of the interview, Smith appeared to lobby for Poilievre as the candidate most likely to align with the Trump administration’s policies.

“If we do have Pierre as our prime minister, then I think that there’s a number of things that we could do together,” Smith said. “Pierre believes in development. He believes in low-cost energy. He believes that we need to have low taxes, doesn’t believe in any of the woke stuff that we’ve seen taking over our politics for the last five years.

“So I would think that there’d be, there’s probably still always going to be areas that are skirmishes or disputes about particular industries when it comes to the border, but 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,” she added. “And I think we’d have a really great relationship for the period of time they’re both in (office).”

Public policy expert Ken Boessenkool posted on X that, “When Danielle Smith ran for the leadership of the UCP, I argued that she was unfit for public office.

“This interview (and the fact she didn’t tell Albertans about it) prove I was right.

“I don’t believe in recall,” he added, “but I’m open to an exception here.”

Poilievre responds

At a press kickoff for the April 28 federal election on Sunday morning, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre was asked if he considered Smith’s comments to the U.S. administration appropriate.

“Well, my response is that the President has said that he thinks it would be easier to deal with a liberal and with good reason, the liberals have weakened our country,” Poilievre said. “They’ve blocked resource projects, raised taxes, driving our jobs south into the hands of the Americans. A half a trillion dollars of investment has fled our country.”

“They blocked a pipeline that would have allowed us to go around the American market,” he added. “They’ve killed LNG liquefaction plants, forcing us to sell all of our natural gas to the Americans at huge price discounts.

“They’ve weakened our military and our borders, all of that plays into the hands of President Trump. military and our borders, all of that plays into the hands of President Trump.”

Carney responds

At the kickoff to the election at 24 Sussex, Liberal Leader Mark Carney was asked about Smith’s comments and whether he could work with her.

“My responsibility is to work with all Canadians, all stakeholders, certainly with the premiers, with national Indigenous organizations, with labour, with other stakeholders, with everyone,” Carney said.

“That’s my responsibility. I take that seriously,” he said.

“I was pleased that at the First Ministers meeting, we had consent on our communique, on our objectives.

“We have to follow through with that action for that.

“With respect to the premier’s comments, I take note of her alignment of Mr. Poilievre with Mr. Trump,” he said, continuing. “And would note that that’s one of the decisions that Canadians will have to make, whether they want a government that’s unified, that’s standing up for Canada and is taking focused action to build a better economy or they want division –and Americanism.

“That’s what Mr. Poilievre seems to be offering,” he said, “and just endorsed by the Premier of Alberta.”

‘It hurts Danielle Smith’

In a Sunday interview with CTV News, MRU political scientist Duane Bratt described Smith’s request to pause tariffs for the election campaign as “astounding.”

“It’s astounding, where she is encouraging the U.S. administration to pause their tariffs for the election campaign, not because tariffs are bad, which they are, not because tariffs damage both Canada in the U.S., which they do, but because she believes that this trade war has benefited the Liberal Party,” he said.

“It hurts Danielle Smith, because it looks like she is supporting the United States in the middle of a major trade war against Canada,” he added. “It looks like she is clearly supporting Pierre Poilievre which she is, and I think that’s going to backfire on Poilievre.”

“You’re going to see this in a Liberal attack ad against Poilievre, quoting Smith, right?” Bratt added. “Because she’s saying that the Liberals are going to fight the Americans on tariffs (whereas) Poilievre is much more aligned with you, so you don’t need to worry about him.”

Bratt said Carney’s reaction to Smith’s comments were diplomatic.

“I thought it was a pretty diplomatic response by Mark Carney,” he said, “acknowledging the complaints of Smith, acknowledging that they’ve working to deal with some of those, but also putting his attacks on Poilievre, not on Smith, because if Carney wins the election, he doesn’t need to worry about Pierre Poilievre, he needs to worry about Danielle Smith.”

Smith denies interference claims

Sunday afternoon, the Premier’s office sent a statement to CTV News.

“Any suggestion the Premier is asking the U.S. to interfere in Canada’s election is offensive and false,” it said.

Additionally, Smith said, “For the last several months, I, and many of my fellow Premiers, have been working relentlessly to convince U.S. officials at all levels just how damaging threatened tariffs will be to both Canadians and Americans.

“I’ve also repeatedly asked those same officials to refrain from placing any tariffs on Canadian goods until a proper renegotiation of CUSMA can be held following our federal election with a Prime Minister that has won a mandate from Canadians to negotiate with the U.S. President.

“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.

“I, along with the vast majority of Albertans, are obviously concerned with how vulnerable and weak the Liberal Government has left our country after the last 10 years of anti-resource development policies, and I have yet to see any meaningful commitment to reverse those policies that warrants giving them a fourth consecutive mandate. However, that decision is ultimately up to Canadians.”

‘Team Alberta’: Smith not backing down

During question period on Monday at the Alberta legislature, NDP MLAs suggested Smith was encouraging foreign interference with the election.

“Why was the premier bragging to Breitbart about her specific conversations to U.S. officials inviting foreign interference into Canada’s election?” said Edmonton-Mill Woods MLA Christina Gray.

“I do not want to see anyone interfere in our elections. I want to see the election take place on Canadian issues so that we can put on the table what our issues are in Alberta and hear how each of the parties respond.”

Gray and Smith would continue to take jabs before Gray asked, “Why did the Premier invite foreign interference from the Americans to support Pierre Poilievre?”

Smith claimed the NDP wants to “goad the (U.S.) administration into imposing tariffs on April 2.”

“Shouldn’t they actually be aligned with us in saying the exact same thing?” said Smith.

“There’s a reason why I have suggested that one leader would be better than the other. I know that the folks across the aisle are on Team Carney, but I’m on Team Alberta and I know that Team Alberta means doing everything we possibly can to support our energy industry, which they don’t.”

Canada’s chief electoral officer was asked about the interference claims on Monday.

“There is a provision on undue influence by foreign entities. There are rules on spending and third-party activities. The facts that you (are) referring to do not trigger any of these,” said Stéphane Perrault.

With files from CTV’s Tyler Barrow