The Canadian Conservative trying to sweet talk Trump

 

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she is willing to walk into the "lion's den" to sway US officials against Canadian tariffs - wooing the US president with meetings at Mar-a-Lago and cosying up with Trump-friendly media.

While many of Canada's leaders - from Prime Minister Mark Carney to Ontario's Premier Doug Ford - are talking tough on Donald Trump, Smith has been taking a notably softer approach.

But this tack has led to controversy - not only with her opponents, but also in her home province of Alberta, and with politicians who otherwise share her political leanings.

It has also put federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre on the defensive in the early days of the country's short federal electoral race. Canadians are scheduled to vote on 28 April.

Smith, a former talk radio host and newspaper columnist, was asked by Breitbart News Washington bureau chief Matthew Boyle about the Poilievre-Trump relationship. In response, Smith said that the "unjust and unfair" tariffs threatened by Trump "actually caused an increase in the 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," she said.

"So 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."

Smith also told Breitbart that Poilievre brought a perspective that "would be very much in sync, I think, with the new direction in America", adding that a Conservative government in Canada would help smooth relations with the US.

The interview resurfaced this week as federal leaders were busy campaigning ahead of April's election, and Smith was quickly criticised by Poilievre's political opponents. New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh called the interview "shameful" and questioned Smith's loyalty to Canada.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0jgx10z8qqo