Business
While “Team Canada” attacks Trump for election points, Premier Danielle Smith advocates for future trade relations

“Today, I addressed the Legislative Assembly and spoke to the actions that the Government of Alberta has taken and will continue to take to advocate for Alberta and Canada’s interests in the U.S. as we continue to face the threat and imposition of tariffs.”
Mr. Speaker,
When U.S. President Donald Trump first announced his threatened tariffs against Canada, and began musing about our country becoming the 51st state, many Canadians – and Albertans – feared for their futures.
Why? Because, regardless of our political stripe, we all knew the imposition of 25% tariffs on all Canadian goods to the U.S. would cost the jobs of hundreds of thousands of Canadians, would depress our economy, devastate our budget and damage the sovereignty of our country.
And in the roughly 4 months until just before last weekend’s federal election call, Premiers, party leaders and Canadians were united (other than perhaps the Alberta NDP) in working as hard as we could to convince the U.S. President and Congress to reconsider these unjustified actions against our country.
In fact, Premiers were all encouraged by each other as well as the former Prime Minister and his ministers, to visit the U.S., get on U.S. media, speak with every U.S. official and influencer we could find to convince the U.S. President to refrain from imposing these tariffs.
It was all about working as ‘Team Canada’ for the greater good.
Enter Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Now, all of a sudden, it is treason to talk to American media personalities that we disagree with. It is disloyal to try and persuade high-profile Republicans holding influence with the President to abandon his tariff policies on Canada. Indeed, it is a high crime to try and convince U.S. officials to refrain from imposing tariffs until after our country has an elected leader with a strong mandate.
Shame on all who dare to speak with the enemy, they say!
These are the Team Carney and Nenshi NDP talking points.
Their endgame is quite obvious. Frighten and divide Canadians. Try and make Canadians forget the utter incompetence of Liberal and NDP policies inflicted upon this country over the last 10 years. Associate conservatives with President Trump. And if they play their cards just right – and sprinkle in just enough anti-Alberta rhetoric – presto – Canada can elect another Liberal majority government.
Well – the Carney Liberals and Nenshi NDP are right about one thing…our country is indeed vulnerable right now.
And the reason why is as clear as a sunny Alberta day.
It is because for the last 10 years, Liberal and NDP leaders across this country – both federal and provincial – have repeatedly sold out Canada and Alberta with policies that have landlocked our immense natural resources, made nation building projects impossible to finance and build, and have made securing access to our ports an exercise in frustration and futility.
These Liberal and NDP leaders – from Trudeau to Singh and now to Prime Minister Mark Carney – have done everything in their power to sow investment uncertainty, add impossibly high costs on the development of our resources, and have disastrously weakened our security and military – and all in the name of their green extremist religion and its cult leaders named Guilbeault, Suzuki, Gore and Thunberg.
And the results are obvious – Canadians are poorer than Americans – overly-dependent on the Americans – and vulnerable to many nations including the Americans.
Canada has indeed been sold out – big time – and it’s been sold out by the utter incompetent, self-righteous and extreme policies of Liberal and NDP leadership across this country – including the Nenshi NDP here in Alberta. From C-69, to oil and gas production caps to tanker bans to a dozen other examples – the Liberals and their allies have attacked the Alberta and Saskatchewan economies mercilessly.
But despite all that – despite the 10 year attack on Alberta by our own federal government – when tariffs were threatened on our fellow Canadians and the federal Liberals realized they had no contacts or allies anywhere in the new U.S. administration…what did the Alberta Government do?
Did we cower in the corner madly texting our tweets about hating Donald Trump on X?
Did we turn into part time TikTok rage farmers to stir up as much fear and loathing of Americans as humanly possible?
Did we give up, throw our hands in the air, express righteous indignation – but do nothing to fight against the threat posed against our province and country?
No – that’s what the Nenshi NDP did of course – but we, Alberta’s UCP government, did not.
Instead, our government did exactly what Albertans expected us to do – we decided to fight tooth and nail for Albertan and Canadian jobs and sovereignty.
My ministers, officials and I have spent hundreds of hours over the last several months talking with, lobbying, educating, and persuading every U.S. lawmaker and media influencer that was willing to listen, about how damaging and wrongheaded imposing tariffs on Canada would be for Americans, and the millions of American jobs that would be lost because of them.
I’ve made this case repeatedly to the American people and their leaders – especially Republican leaders – from the President of the United States personally, to members of his Cabinet to Senators to governors to members of congress to podcasters to media personalities.
I’ve lost track of how many nights I have spent in uncomfortable hotel beds and in airports – doing everything humanly possible to stand up for Canadian and Alberta workers and families.
Convincing U.S. Officials to refrain from putting tariffs on any Canadian goods. Asking that they respect the current free trade agreement and not begin renegotiations until Canadians elect a new Prime Minister with a strong mandate.
Doing all we could in Alberta to secure the U.S. border and urging the Liberals to do the same across the country so we could further delay the implementation of tariffs.
And it hasn’t just been Alberta – several other Premiers – particularly conservative Premiers – from Premier Scott Moe to Premier Tim Houston to Premier Doug Ford – have been doing the same thing.
And the results – it has been almost 4 months since the President first threatened tariffs on Canada, and although steel and aluminum are being wrongfully tariffed at this time – the tariffs on remaining Canadian goods sit at zero today – rather than the threatened 25%.
And what has the Nenshi NDP done to contribute to this effort? Not a single thing other than raging against this government for every effort made to protect Albertans.
Needless to say, there is not a doubt in my mind that had the Nenshi NDP been in charge during this period, we would likely have long ago been hit with across the board 25% tariffs and lost thousands of Alberta jobs already.
Because the NDP have no idea what diplomacy is as they don’t know how to talk constructively and effectively with anyone they disagree with.
Glad we never need to find out.
Our government’s advocacy has made a massive difference for Albertans and Canadians.
That’s a fact.
But now, we have another tariff deadline looming on April 2nd – and I am off to the U.S. yet again to try and speak to Americans this time through the 2nd largest podcaster in the world whose audience is made up of exactly the people we need to persuade to convince their president to change course on tariffs against Canada.
And what does Team Carney want me to do?
They want me to abandon my post, remain in Alberta and do absolutely nothing to defend our province.
They want me to cower in the face of eastern media pundits and politicians who favour political grandstanding to effective diplomacy.
I’m fiercely criticized for going into the lion’s den to change the hearts and minds of the very Americans we need on Canada’s side to avoid a trade war with the most powerful economy on Earth.
They want this lady and Alberta to just sit down and shut up.
Well…here is my response to that.
I will not be silent. Alberta will not be silent.
We will not be pushed around and called traitors for merely having the courage to actually do something about our nation’s and province’s predicament other than merely indulging in self-righteous tantrums.
And I for one will never be silenced by the party in Ottawa that has sold out our beloved province for the last 10 years with the help of their NDP collaborators.
I have and will always put Albertans first.
And until this danger to Alberta and our economy is past, they’re going to have to roll me off in a stretcher before I stop fighting for this province and our people.
So call me and my caucus whatever name in the dictionary you want.
As long as Albertans know we’re fighting for them and their families – we could care less what the members opposite or Liberal politicians in Ottawa have to say about us.
Because Albertans expect their Premier and government to always put Albertans first and to lead them through this storm with fearless determination.
As Winston Churchill once said: “Fear is a reaction. Courage is a decision.”
We on this side of the house have made the decision to act with courage…So that Alberta may remain forever strong and free.
Thank-you, Mr. Speaker.
Danielle Smith
Danielle Smith was sworn in as Premier of Alberta and Minister of Intergovernmental Relations on October 11, 2022.
Automotive
Trump warns U.S. automakers: Do not raise prices in response to tariffs

MxM News
Quick Hit:
Former President Donald Trump warned automakers not to raise car prices in response to newly imposed tariffs, arguing that the move would ultimately benefit the industry by strengthening American manufacturing. However, automakers are signaling that price increases may be unavoidable.
Key Details:
- Trump told auto executives on a recent call that his administration would look unfavorably on price hikes due to tariffs.
- A 25% tariff on imported vehicles and parts is set to take effect on April 2, likely driving up costs for U.S. automakers.
- Industry analysts predict vehicle prices could rise 11% to 12% in response, despite Trump’s insistence that tariffs will benefit American manufacturing.
Diving Deeper:
In a conference call with leading automakers earlier this month, former President Donald Trump issued a stern warning: do not use his new tariffs as an excuse to raise car prices. While Trump presented the tariffs as a boon for American manufacturing, industry leaders remain unconvinced, arguing that the financial burden will inevitably lead to higher costs for consumers.
Trump’s administration is pressing ahead with a 25% tariff on all imported vehicles and parts, set to take effect on April 2. The move is aimed at reshaping trade dynamics in the auto industry, encouraging domestic manufacturing, and reversing what Trump calls the damaging effects of President Joe Biden’s electric vehicle mandates. Despite this, automakers say that rising costs on foreign parts—which many depend on—will leave them little choice but to pass expenses onto consumers.
“You’re going to see prices going down, but going to go down specifically because they’re going to buy what we’re doing, incentivizing companies to—and even countries—companies to come into America,” Trump stated at a recent event, reinforcing his stance that the tariffs will ultimately lower costs in the long run.
However, industry insiders are pushing back, warning that a rapid shift to domestic production is unrealistic. “Tariffs, at any level, cannot be offset or absorbed,” said Ray Scott, CEO of Lear, a major automotive parts supplier. His concern reflects broader anxieties within the industry, as automakers calculate the financial strain of the tariffs. Analysts at Morgan Stanley estimate that vehicle prices could increase between 11% and 12% in the coming months as the new tariffs take effect.
Automakers have been bracing for the fallout. Detroit’s major manufacturers and industry suppliers have voiced their concerns, emphasizing that transitioning supply chains and manufacturing operations back to the U.S. will take years. Meanwhile, auto retailers have stocked up on inventory, temporarily shielding consumers from price hikes. But once that supply runs low—likely by May—the full impact of the tariffs could hit.
Within the Trump administration, inflation remains a pressing concern, though Trump himself rarely discusses it publicly. His economic team is aware of the potential for tariffs to drive up costs, yet the administration’s stance remains firm: automakers must adapt without raising prices. It remains unclear, however, what actions Trump might take should automakers defy his warning.
The auto industry isn’t alone in its concerns. Executives across multiple sectors, from oil and gas to food manufacturing, have been lobbying against major tariffs, arguing that they will inevitably result in higher prices for American consumers. While Trump has largely dismissed these warnings, some analysts suggest that public dissatisfaction with rising costs played a key role in shaping the outcome of the 2024 election.
With the tariffs set to take effect in just weeks, automakers are left grappling with a difficult reality: absorb billions in new costs or risk the ire of a White House determined to remake America’s trade policies.
Business
Labor Department cancels “America Last” spending spree spanning five continents

MxM News
Quick Hit:
The U.S. Department of Labor has scrapped nearly $600 million in foreign aid grants, including $10 million aimed at promoting “gender equity in the Mexican workplace.”
Key Details:
-
Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Deputy Secretary Keith Sonderling were credited with delivering $237 million in savings through the latest round of canceled programs.
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Among the defunded initiatives: $12.2 million for “worker empowerment” efforts in South America, $6.25 million to improve labor rights in Central American agriculture, and $5 million to promote women’s workplace participation in West Africa.
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The Department of Government Efficiency described the cuts as necessary to realign U.S. labor policy with national interests and applauded the elimination of all 69 international grants managed by the Bureau of International Labor Affairs.
Diving Deeper:
The U.S. Department of Labor on Wednesday canceled $577 million in foreign aid grants, including a controversial $10 million program aimed at promoting “gender equity in the Mexican workplace,” according to documents obtained by The Washington Post. The sweeping decision to terminate all 69 active international labor grants comes as part of a larger restructuring effort led by John Clark, a senior DOL official appointed during the Trump administration.
Clark directed the department’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) to shut down its entire grant portfolio, citing a “lack of alignment with agency priorities and national interest.” The memo explaining the cancellations was first reported by The Washington Post and highlights a broader shift in federal labor policy toward domestic-focused initiatives.
Among the eliminated grants were high-dollar projects that had drawn criticism from watchdog groups for years. These included $12.2 million designated for “worker empowerment in South America,” $6.25 million targeting labor conditions in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, and $5 million to elevate women’s workplace participation in West Africa. Other defunded programs involved $4.3 million to support foreign migrant workers in Malaysia, $3 million to improve social protections for internal migrants in Bangladesh, and $3 million to promote “safe and inclusive work environments” in Lesotho.
The Department of Government Efficiency, also involved in the review, labeled the grants as “America Last” initiatives, and pointed to the lack of measurable outcomes and limited benefits to American workers. The agency commended the leadership of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Deputy Secretary Keith Sonderling for securing $237 million in savings during this round alone.
The cuts mark the second major cost-saving move under Chavez-DeRemer’s leadership in as many weeks. Just days earlier, she canceled an additional $33 million in funding, including a $1.5 million grant focused on increasing transparency in Uzbekistan’s cotton sector. Chavez-DeRemer, a former Republican congresswoman from Oregon, was confirmed as Labor Secretary on March 11th by a bipartisan Senate vote of 67-32.
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