Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, fresh off a weekend visit with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, cautioned Ottawa against blocking energy exports to the U.S. in response to TrumpB次元官网网址檚 tariff threat on Monday B次元官网网址� but Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he wants to keep the option open.

B次元官网网址淥il and gas is owned by the provinces, principally Alberta, and we wonB次元官网网址檛 stand for that,B次元官网网址� Smith told reporters in a virtual news conference.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, meanwhile, said Monday he wants to see Canada block exports to the United States of critical minerals like aluminum, lithium and potash in response to the tariff threat.

B次元官网网址淪o if (Trump) wants to pick a fight with Canada, we have to make sure itB次元官网网址檚 clear that itB次元官网网址檚 going to hurt Americans as well,B次元官网网址� Singh told a news conference in Ottawa.

Ford said that while an embargo on energy and critical mineral exports to the U.S. is the last thing he wants to see, Canada shouldnB次元官网网址檛 rule out any means to inflict economic pain on the U.S. if the tariff dispute escalates.

CanadaB次元官网网址檚 critical minerals exports to the United States were valued at nearly $30 billion in 2023. ThatB次元官网网址檚 nearly 60 per cent of the value of all Canadian critical mineral exports.

B次元官网网址淚 want to ship them more critical minerals. I want to ship them more energy,B次元官网网址� Ford said. B次元官网网址淏ut make no mistake about it. If theyB次元官网网址檙e coming full-tilt at us, I wonB次元官网网址檛 hesitate to pull out every single tool we have until they can feel the pain. But thatB次元官网网址檚 the last thing I want to do.B次元官网网址�

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly hasnB次元官网网址檛 ruled out an energy embargo in response to TrumpB次元官网网址檚 promise to impose punishing 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian products.

Smith said the federal government shouldnB次元官网网址檛 be making B次元官网网址渆mpty threats,B次元官网网址� and itB次元官网网址檚 not JolyB次元官网网址檚 call to make. She said cutting off pipeline supplies through Michigan would choke key supplies to Ontario and Quebec as well.

If Ottawa moves to cut off energy exports, Smith said, B次元官网网址渢hey will have a national unity crisis on their on their hands at the same time as having a crisis with our U.S. trade partners.B次元官网网址�

AlbertaB次元官网网址檚 premier said Canada needs to be prepared for the tariffs to come into effect on Jan. 20, TrumpB次元官网网址檚 first day in office. B次元官网网址淚 havenB次元官网网址檛 seen any indication in any of the presidentB次元官网网址檚 public commentary, or even in the comments that he had with me, that heB次元官网网址檚 inclined to change his approach,B次元官网网址� she said.

Singh argued that the fact Trump still intends to implement broad-based tariffs after he and members of his administration met with Joly, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc shows he canB次元官网网址檛 be reasoned with.

B次元官网网址淒onald Trump is not rational. You canB次元官网网址檛 discuss a plan over a meal with him. He is a bully. And bullies understand one thing B次元官网网址� that is strength. They also understand pain,B次元官网网址� Singh said.

Singh added he sees a block on critical minerals exports as a starting point and Canada needs to continue to look at B次元官网网址渆very option.B次元官网网址�

Over the weekend, Joly said Canadians need to B次元官网网址渂e readyB次元官网网址� for economic threats, adding all leaders need to put Canada first and show a united front.

B次元官网网址淲e have to be very realistic, very pragmatic, and we have to be ready, because something we canB次元官网网址檛 do is not to take president-elect Trump at his word. Because when he says something, he usually does it,B次元官网网址� Joly said Sunday on CBCB次元官网网址檚 Rosemary Barton Live.

She said Ottawa is pursuing a strategy to engage the incoming U.S. administration through measures that include a new border plan, developing military alliances and co-operating on energy issues.

B次元官网网址淎nd at the same time, weB次元官网网址檙e working on a retaliation plan,B次元官网网址� said Joly.

B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 go into the details of that retaliation plan, because I think it would be a bad strategy. But what I can tell you is everything is on the table.B次元官网网址�

Smith visited Trump at his Florida home over the weekend as a guest of Canadian businessman and television personality Kevin OB次元官网网址橪eary.

OB次元官网网址橪eary has suggested that it would benefit Canada to combine its economy with that of the U.S. and B次元官网网址渆rase the borderB次元官网网址� separating the two countries.

Smith will be attending TrumpB次元官网网址檚 inauguration next week. She has been on a diplomatic offensive of late, meeting with American elected officials and appearing on news broadcasts south of the border. She has argued the tariffs would harm both Canadian and American consumers, particularly through higher gas prices.

Smith said Monday the incoming presidentB次元官网网址檚 biggest source of irritation is the trade imbalance with Canada. She said she expects TrumpB次元官网网址檚 promised tariffs to remain in effect until the imbalance is resolved.

B次元官网网址淚 think the solution is that we find ways to buy more American goods and that seems to me to be the very logical step that we should take. So IB次元官网网址檒l put that on the table,B次元官网网址� she said.

She and other premiers are expected to meet with Trudeau to discuss the issue on Wednesday.

Ahead of that meeting, Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King is on his own economic mission to the northeastern United States, including Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

King is leading a 22-person delegation meeting with industry leaders, business associations and stakeholders to promote P.E.I.B次元官网网址檚 contributions to the potato and seafood sectors.

Smith said sheB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渘ot expecting any exemptionsB次元官网网址� for the oil and gas industry, adding that B次元官网网址渙ur job is going to be to work overtime to make sure that we can make the case for carve-outs.B次元官网网址�

When asked if excluding energy from tariffs might undermine the negotiating position of other premiers, or of Canada as a whole, Smith said she feels talking about energy is the B次元官网网址渨ay we make the caseB次元官网网址� to avoid tariffs on every Canadian product.

If AlbertaB次元官网网址檚 energy exports were taken out of the trade equation, the Americans would have a trade surplus with Canada, she said.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 an argument that I think should allow us to say that we should continue to have a tariff-free relationship, because they need our energy,B次元官网网址� she said.

Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said in a social media post Monday that while he hopes the premierB次元官网网址檚 attempts at diplomacy will be successful, the incoming U.S. administration poses a profound threat to all Canadians.

B次元官网网址淭he danger in freelancing is that Alberta becomes isolated, irrelevant, or, worse, used as a pawn in a bigger game. Only by working together can we ensure Albertan and Canadian interests are protected,B次元官网网址� he said.