The conservative chief Pierre Hairy says that Danielle Smith is “free” to express her opinions on the trade war in the United States-Canada after the Prime Minister of Alberta was accused of having requested the intervention of Donald Trump in the federal elections.
Addressing journalists in Brampton, Ontario on Monday, Hairyvre was invited to know if Smith’s recent comments to the Breitbart right network were “appropriate”.
“People are free to make their own comments. I speak for myself,” said Hairy before embarking on an attack on the Liberals on Mark Carney.
Smith caused the controversy on the eve of the federal electoral campaign after the audio of his appearance on a Breitbart podcast went around social networks. In the clip, Smith seemed to suggest that she asked the Trump administration to suspend prices during the federal elections of Canada because they helped Carney Liberals at the expense of the Conservative Party.
“Because of what we consider as unfair and unfair prices, it has in fact caused an increase in support for the liberals. And that is what I fear – is that the more this dispute takes place, the posture of politicians and this seems to benefit the liberals at the moment,” said Smith.
“I hope we could put things on a break, that’s what I said to the administration officials:” Let’s take things up so that we can have an election. Let’s have the best person in the table, which could face how they would take care of it “, and I think it’s Pierre Hairyvre.”
Get national news
For news that has an impact on Canada and worldwide, register for the safeguarding of news alerts that are delivered to you directly when they occur.
In a statement to Global News on Sunday, Smith’s office said that it did not ask the Trump administration to interfere in the Canada elections and qualified these offensive suggestions.
On Monday, the leader of the NPD, Jagmeet Singh, described Smith’s comments as “shame”.
“If you break down what Danielle Smith offers, she talks about taking measures to harm the liberals and prevent the prices in a political manner to create a political result,” said Singh at a press conference.
“She should talk about stopping prices to protect Canadians … She shouldn’t say to do so in a way that benefits one party or another.”
Trump’s economic attack on Canada has dominated federal political conversation since the American president announced for the first time 25 percent of the nodes once he took over the White House.
Prices are taxes imposed on goods imported from other countries, which means that American consumers and businesses must now pay more for Canada.
The Canadian government, then under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, responded in kind with reprisal prices on American imports. Trump has promised new “reciprocal” prices on automotive, pharmaceutical and semiconductor exports of Canada which would take effect on April 2, but media reports over the weekend have suggested that the administration could “delay” certain specific rates for the sector.
The trade war, as well as the resignation of Trudeau and the leadership victory of Carney, all coincided with a spectacular improvement in the fortune of the Liberal Party during the general elections.
Hairyvre and his team struggled to redo the political conversation to affordability and taxes – their favorite framing for the elections – in the middle of the turmoil.
Echoing some of Trump’s recent comments, Hairyvre suggested that Trump would prefer a liberal victory because it would make Canada a “larger target” for the United States
“This is why the choice in this election is whether we are going to elect weak liberals and out of contact with a fourth term, or if it is time to put Canada first for a change with a new conservative government … so that we can face Donald Trump and the Americans of a position of force,” said Hairy.
Smith was frank during the commercial dispute with the Trump administration, and often offside of some of his colleagues ministers and federal liberals.
During one of his first trips as Prime Minister, Carney went to Edmonton to meet Smith and received a list of “requests” from the Prime Minister of Alberta. The fact of not responding to these requests, warned Smith, could cause a “national crisis of unity”.
His interview on March 8 of Breitbart was not Smith’s first appearance with us, the right -wing networks. The former radio host was also criticized for having agreed to attend a Prageru event on March 27 with Ben Shapiro, a far -right personality that applauded Trump’s reflections on the annex to Canada.
Smith’s office defended the decision to attend the event, saying that it gives the opportunity to reach millions of Shapiro social media followers and “solid links” with the Trump administration.
Smith was also photographed with Trump in Mar-A-Lago, the field of the president of Florida.
Asked about Smith’s intervention by journalists in Ottawa on Monday, electoral director Stéphane Perrault said that foreign interference was not defined in the Canada Elections Act.
“But there are a number of provisions in law which can be relevant to foreign interference,” added Perrault.
“Thus, for example, there is a provision on an influence undue by foreign entities. There are rules on spending on third -party activities. The fact that you are referring not to trigger any of them. ”
Addressing journalists on Sunday, Carney said that he was taking “a note of alignment (of Smith) of Mr. Hairyvre and Mr. Trump and would note that this is one of the decisions that Canadians will have to make.”
– With Sophall Duch files, Karen Bartko and the Canadian press.
& Copy 2025 Global News, A Division of Corus Entertainment Inc.