Office of Alberta Premier Smith responds to her comment about chemtrails

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's office says her recent comments about chemtrails don't mean she believes the United States government is spraying them in the province.

"The premier was simply sharing what she has heard from some folks over the summer on this issue," Smith's spokesperson Savannah Johannsen said Tuesday in a statement.

"She was not saying that she believed the U.S. government was using chemtrails in Alberta."

Johannsen added: "The premier has heard concerns from many Albertans about this topic. In response, the provincial government looked into the issue and found no evidence of chemtrails occurring in Alberta."

Smith faced criticism after she spoke about chemtrails this past weekend at a United Conservative Party town hall in Edmonton.

During the town hall, in response to an audience member's concerns about chemtrail spraying over Edmonton, Smith said, "The best I have been able to do is talk to the woman who is responsible for controlling the airspace, and she says no one is allowed to go up and spray anything in the air."

When the crowd hooted and booed, Smith said, "That's what she's told me."

Smith added, "The other person told me that if anyone is doing it, it's the U.S. Department of Defense."

Smith said if the U.S. is hitting Alberta with chemtrails, her hands are somewhat tied as a regional leader in Canada.

"I have some limitations in what I can do in my job," she said. "I don't know that I would have much power if that is the case, if the U.S. Department of Defense is spraying us."

She said she does what she can to investigate chemtrail allegations — checking with airports, the private sector and within her government — but so far no evidence has turned up that it is occurring.

"I'm kind of dead-ended here," she told the town hall. "If you have some special lead that you want to give me afterwards, please let me know and I'll track it down."

The U.S. Department of Defense, in a request for comment, referred the issue to the North American Aerospace Defence Command, or Norad.

A spokesman for Norad, in an email, said, "Norad and U.S. Northern Command are not conducting any flight activities in Canada that involve the spraying of chemicals."