Poilievre says Alberta premier ‘free’ to make interventions in Trump’s trade war

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has been accused of soliciting Donald Trump’s assistance in getting Poilievre elected, a claim that her office calls "offensive and false."

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says Danielle Smith is “free” to express her opinions on the U.S.-Canada trade war after the Alberta premier was accused of soliciting Donald Trump’s intervention in the federal election.

Speaking to reporters in Brampton, Ont., Monday, Poilievre was asked if Smith’s recent comments to U.S. right-wing network Breitbart were “appropriate.”

“People are free to make their own comments. I speak for myself,” Poilievre said before launching into an attack on the Liberals under Mark Carney.

Smith provoked controversy on the eve of the federal election campaign after the audio of her appearance on a Breitbart podcast made the rounds on social media. In the clip, Smith seemed to suggest she asked the Trump administration to pause tariffs during Canada’s federal election because they were helping Carney’s Liberals to the detriment of the Conservative party.

“Because of what we see as unjust and unfair tariffs, it’s actually caused an increase in support for the Liberals. And so that’s what I fear — is that the longer this dispute goes on, politicians posture and it seems to be benefiting the Liberals right now,” Smith said.

“‘I would hope that we could put things on pause, is what I’ve told administration officials: ‘Let’s just put things on pause so we can get through an election. Let’s have the best person at the table make the argument for how they would deal with that,’ and I think that’s Pierre Poilievre.”

In a statement to Global News Sunday, Smith’s office said she wasn’t asking the Trump Administration to interfere in Canada’s election and called those suggestions offensive.

On Monday, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh called Smith’s comments “shameful.”