Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has called for further border security measures as a means of preventing tariffs from the U.S. (Photo: Government of Alberta)

By David Opinko

Provincial Politics

Alberta premier asks Ottawa to close its borders in wake of tariff threat

Jan 29, 2025 | 3:27 PM

The Premier of Alberta says Canada must take serious and swift action when it comes to border security.

Danielle Smith kicked off an unrelated press conference Wednesday afternoon by stating that the federal government should shut its borders with the United States of America in order to potentially avoid the imposition of tariffs.

U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that he will impose across-the-board tariffs of 25 per cent on all goods going from Canada to America as early as Feb. 1, 2025.

As Howard Lutnick was being sworn in as the new head of the U.S. Department of Commerce earlier in the day, he stated, there could be a way in which Canada and Mexico could avoid the import tax.

“Shut your border and stop allowing fentanyl into our country, killing our people,” Lutnick said during his senate confirmation hearing.

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He continued, “This is a separate tariff to create action from Mexico and action from Canada. And as far as I know, they are acting swiftly, and if they execute it, there will be no tariff.”

Smith states, the comments from Trump and Lutnick are not to be taken lightly.

The premier says she has told federal officials that the international border should be shut down in order to stem the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs.

“The one thing we can do this week, in just the next couple of days, to have the best chance to avoid tariffs is to show clear and unequivocal action to secure the border,” says Smith.

She adds, “I am convinced, after speaking with dozens of elected U.S. elected representatives, administration officials, and the president himself that this is the most important first step.”

Smith does not think Canada should be taking retaliatory tariff measures against the U.S., as some other Canadian premiers have suggested.

Instead, she is looking to see a Canadian “border czar” appointed that will work with their American counterpart to “jointly crack down hard on fentanyl and illegal migrants.”

Video of Smith’s comments can be seen below:

The Alberta government has been taking steps to increase border security, such as patrolling the Alberta-Montana border with black hawk helicopters and increasing border staffing and resources.

READ MORE: Black Hawk helicopters patrolling Alberta-U.S. border crossings

READ MORE: Alberta taking action to prevent illegal crossing, drug trafficking at border