Smith 'very hopeful' of Carney-U.S. trade deal, renews push for B.C. pipeline
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said ahead of Monday's start to meeting with other premiers that she's 'very hopeful' Canada can strike a trade deal with the United States before August, while also continuing to push for a new pipeline to B.C.
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Smith made the remarks to reporters while heading into the Council of the Federation meetings being held in Huntsville, Ont. through Wednesday.
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'Very hopeful, but again, it's a little bit unpredictable … with the U.S. president,' Smith responded when asked if Prime Minister Mark Carney could strike a deal with the U.S. administration by Aug. 1.
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'He's made a couple of concessions, particularly around the digital services tax. We were happy to see that. So I think by making those kinds of concessions, it demonstrates goodwill. And I think all of us are hopeful.'
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Carney met with U.S. President Donald Trump at June's G7 summit in Alberta where they agreed to reach a trade deal by July 21, later moved to Aug. 1 by Trump who told Carney he intended to impose 35 per cent across-the-board tariffs on Canada that same day.
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Carney spent Monday morning meeting with a bypartisan delegation of U.S. senators in Ottawa before being scheduled to join the premiers meeting on Tuesday.
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Smith said she plans to ask Carney about the status of her pitch for a new bitumen pipeline through northern B.C.
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'We want to see if we can get that on the national projects list, so that's what I'll be asking the prime minister about,' she said, adding she plans to raise the issue of Ottawa's net-zero power regulations as well.
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Earlier this month, Carney told Postmedia that it was 'highly likely' that an oil pipeline will make the federal government's list of projects deemed to be of national importance.
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Carney's government passed Bill C-5 that is intended to fast-track major infrastructure projects of national significance.
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B.C. has objected to a new pipeline, citing available capacity in existing pipelines, with First Nations in the province also expressing early opposition.
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Carney met with First Nations leaders in Ottawa last week who appeared open to the potential economic benefits of new projects but also stressed the importance of further consultation, particularly with individual communities potentially affected by any new developments.
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