Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says Canada can be a key ally in helping the United States achieve energy and AI dominance in its competition with China, and that doing so would strengthen trade ties while aligning Canada with a nation that shares its democratic values.
Smith made the comments on Jan. 25 during her weekly phone-in radio show, “Your Province, Your Premier.” She was discussing diplomatic strategies for avoiding U.S. President Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs.
Smith said Canada can position itself as as a reliable partner in helping the United States achieve its priorities, which include not being overtaken by Beijing on energy or AI dominance.
“Make no mistake, China is a totalitarian communist regime. If they win the AI war, then it’s going to be changing the planet,” Smith said. “We should be aligned with jurisdictions that believe in democracy and believe in freedom.”
Speaking in favour of tariff-free trade on U.S. cable news show “News Nation” the following day, Smith said Canada supports the United States’ “aspiration for energy dominance, which is connected to national security.”
She said Canada can also meet the United States’ need for critical minerals. China banned export of gallium, germanium, and antimony to the United States after the U.S. strengthened its restrictions against exporting advanced semiconductor technology to China.
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“We’re watching as China is trying to cut off the critical mineral supply chain to the United States for germanium and gallium and antimony. We’ve got all that in Canada,” Smith said.
“We’ve got uranium, which we think we would be a great partner for the United States for providing that security. So I think we’ve got a partnership that works, and we want to maintain that.”
Trump has threatened to slap a 25 percent tariff on all Canadian exports, citing concerns over the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs across the shared border. He has said the tariffs may come into effect starting on Feb. 1.
Since Trump first announced the tariffs following his election in November 2024, Smith has pushed for a diplomatic response over retaliatory tariffs, seeking to avoid a trade war with the United States. She has said a solid partnership with the United States not only benefits both countries, but also helps combat “unfair Chinese trade practices that harm workers in both of our countries.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has echoed Smith’s concerns on China’s trade practices, saying Beijing has been “hijacking global supply chains to unfairly benefit Chinese companies” at the expense of North American companies. Ford has also warned that a trade war between Canada and the United States would “create the kind of economic uncertainty that only benefits China.”
The Ontario premier has proposed a Canada-U.S. alliance, dubbed Fortress Am-Can, to accelerate strategic resource development and protect integrated supply chains between the counties. Ford has also pitched Ontario as a source of critical minerals, a supplier of energy and electricity, and a partner for border security.
