Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has expressed a surprising level of trust in Prime Minister Mark Carney, a Liberal, citing a fundamental shift in the relationship between Alberta and Ottawa. In an exclusive interview, Smith explained why she believes Carney is different from his predecessor, Justin Trudeau.
A New Dynamic
Smith pointed to the historic agreement signed on May 15, 2026, in Calgary, which could see construction on an oil pipeline to the West Coast begin as early as September 2027. The agreement, she said, is a testament to the newfound cooperation between the provincial and federal governments.
“The main reason is the complete difference in dealing with this prime minister than the previous one,” Smith stated. She recalled her first conversation with Trudeau, which she intended to be constructive, offering to collaborate on an energy and emissions plan with a 2050 target. Instead, she said, “every time I opened the newspaper, it was one new terrible policy after another designed to shut down Alberta’s oil and gas.”
Trust was impossible under Trudeau, especially with Steven Guilbeault as environment minister. Smith noted that she tried repeatedly but faced obstacles. She views Guilbeault’s impending departure this summer as positive for the country but worries that others, like federal NDP Leader Avi Lewis, will continue to push to “keep fossil fuels in the ground.”
Smith also mentioned that if Wab Kinew and David Eby wanted to be helpful, they could ask Lewis to dial down his rhetoric, as it inflames sentiments in Alberta. She had just hosted the Western Premiers’ Conference in Kananaskis and delivered this message.
A Spirit of Goodwill
With Carney, Smith sees a different approach. “I saw a spirit of goodwill,” she said. “He wasn’t interested in a compromise — he was interested in a win-win. That was the language he used in our first meeting.”
When they announced the pipeline MOU implementation phase in mid-May, Carney called trust “the most important commodity in the world,” adding that Canada has it in abundance and is building it today.
Smith drew parallels to history, citing Alberta Premier Ralph Klein and Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, who worked together to unlock the oilsands. “That’s what we can return to,” she said hopefully.
Despite facing internal challenges, including threats from separatist factions within her own party, Smith remains optimistic about the future of Alberta-Ottawa relations. She emphasized that mutual respect can lead to great achievements.
“Just because it’s a Liberal government in Ottawa, and a Liberal prime minister, doesn’t mean it has to be fractious,” Smith concluded. With mutual respect, “the sky’s the limit on what we can do.”
