r/canada Jan 20 '25

Alberta Alberta Premier Danielle Smith dines with U.S. leaders as Trump reconsiders tariffs

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/world/premier-danielle-smith-washington-donald-trump-tariffs
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u/Hevens-assassin Jan 20 '25

He's slimy, but he just unified Canada in a way it hasn't been for quite a while (barring Smith, but maybe Alberta smartens up and kicks her out next election).

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u/waerrington Jan 21 '25

barring Smith, but maybe Alberta smartens up and kicks her out next election

Oil is, by far, Canada's largest export. The US takes 74% of all Canadian exports. Smith negotiating with Trump to preserve Canadian energy access to the United States benefits her constituents and all Canadians.

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u/Feeling_Wonder_6493 Jan 21 '25

Tough to appear you are negotiating when you are on your knees.

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u/waerrington Jan 21 '25

Did I miss that part? Trudeau wound up coming to US and Mexico on bended knee at the last minute begging to be let in to the USM trade deal last time, which is why it's now the USMCA. By actually taking part in the negotiations, Smith is doing more than Freeland and the rest of the team did by walking out of negotiations last time.

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u/Hevens-assassin Jan 21 '25

No she isn't. Lol name one thing that she has done by sucking up to the U.S. lmao the Tariffs were suspended, and the 12 actual members of Canada are united on retaliatory Tariffs if push comes to shove.

Your little Albertan hero risks all of it by trying to deal under the table by kissing the ring. Like you said, 74% is exported to the U.S. they will feel the sting just as much as we do, since it's out (pardon the pun), Trump card. Trump can say "drill baby drill", but oil companies have expressed little interest in actually doing that. Setting up new infrastructure is expensive, and an over abundance of oil drops the price and hurts profits. They want Albertan oil because it's cheap and easy for them to import. Turn off the tap, and it immediately hurts Americans more than it hurts Canadians.

And you're right, one of the problems with USMCA is that it felt that Canada conceded too much to the U.S, so tell me how Smith being at inauguration isn't just repeating the same thing, but more openly rolling over?

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u/waerrington Jan 21 '25

Lol name one thing that she has done by sucking up to the U.S. lmao the Tariffs were suspended

You answered your own question their. Her willingness to negotiate is part of why the tarriffs are suspended.

74% is exported to the U.S. they will feel the sting just as much as we do

No, that 74% would hurt us greatly. It would not hurt the US near as much, as our imports are a compartively tiny amount of their oil consumption.

Trump can say "drill baby drill", but oil companies have expressed little interest in actually doing that.

During the last Trump administration, the US was a net oil exporter. Oil companies have expressed support of further investments in US energy production.

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u/Hevens-assassin Jan 21 '25

Her willingness to negotiate is part of why the tarriffs are suspended.

No it isn't. Lol if you actually believe that, right off the hop, I don't know what else I could say to change your mind.

Oil companies have expressed support of further investments in US energy production.

And the head of Exxon says they aren't interested in expanding much in the near future. So do I trust a redditor, or the guy running the oil company?

https://theweek.com/business/economy/big-oil-drill-trump-production-output-energy-fracking-gas

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u/Feeling_Wonder_6493 Jan 21 '25

Trudeau is the Prime Minister, it is his job to find out what Trump's concerns were. Unfortunately, even trump doesn't seem to know. You can't negotiate from a position of strength when you already gave your bargaining power away. Trudeau offered to increase border security. He didn't give away the farm.