Alberta Premier Danielle Smith feels the Liberal government is Canada’s most “illiberal” ever. She preferred Pierre Trudeau to his son, Canada’s current prime minister. And, she says, environmental extremists have gone too far.
These are just a few things Smith said in a repeat interview with Alberta native Jordan Peterson that stretched nearly two hours.
Below are some salient takeaways from the interview on the renowned psychologist’s podcast.
“The Liberals are the most illiberal government we’ve ever had”
Smith claims that classical liberalism should stand for foundational freedoms enshrined in the Charter — notably free speech, which she said is “being trampled all over” by internet censorship bills, media hollowing, and a new gag bill on oil and gas companies.
Bill C-59 restricts oil and gas companies from discussing their environmental records unless they meet undefined international standards. Smith plans to challenge the bill in court.
“We’re having to have a government take on the role of being an advocate because they’re crowding out the private voices, which I think has got to be the most illiberal approach,” she said.
Smith said that her province has successfully defeated the Liberals in court, but this still comes at a cost as court fights take years and a lot of money, and generally the policies remain the law while these battles wage on. This, she said, stifles investment in her province and helps the Liberals achieve their policy goals regardless of their legality.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is the opposite of an advocate for Canada
Smith said that the world assumes that the prime minister of Canada would be an advocate for the country and its resource development. The country was structured to give the federal government power to negotiate on behalf of the provinces, which was supposed to work in their best interests. This isn’t the reality, she told Peterson.
“He’s using it for the reverse. He’s actually using it to put up trade barriers — not build the infrastructure we need — and interfere with their ability to get our product to market,” said Smith.
She said this counterintuitive approach to Canada’s success is why she’s had to become so active in international events, such as COP28; if she does not attend them, then Alberta’s story and potential to be a worldwide energy superpower will go untold, she said.
“You’ve got a federal prime minister who seems more interested in doing my job, talking about dentistry programs and school lunch programs…. I’m finding increasingly, I’m having to do his job in reaching out to the world and making them know that we are going to be a trading partner and we are going to be a secure supply of not only energy but food as well,” said Smith.
Tyrannical governments exercise control by controlling energy and food
Smith recalled reading an article in the late 1990s which explained that the most effective way for a tyrannical government to control its population was by controlling energy and food.
“It’s been fascinating and shocking and disheartening for me to see that all of the policies being devised by the extreme environmental movement have been to control exactly those two things: make energy more costly and less available; make food more costly and less available,” said Smith.
Environmental extremists have taken it one step too far
They started with a campaign against coal, which progressed to a campaign against fracking, followed by oil sands, and now have landed on food production.
Waging war against the food producers will backfire, said Smith, citing the Netherlands.
She said she recently read that Denmark is putting a $100 carbon tax on belching and flatulating cattle.
“The next logical step is, if belching and farting and breathing is now a sin, how long before they start putting a carbon tax on human beings?” asked Smith.
Smith prefers Pierre Trudeau to Justin Trudeau
“I actually preferred the Pierre Trudeau way because he just wanted to steal our wealth. He didn’t want to destroy it. Trudeau, the younger, actually wants to destroy our wealth. I just can’t imagine how he thinks that is good for the entire country,” said Smith.
Smith said that she deals with this attack on Alberta by pointing out that Trudeau only got 32% of the vote in the last election.
“He had a partnership with the NDP. Jagmeet Singh spends almost as much time criticizing Justin Trudeau as I do, yet he continues to prop him up,” said Smith.
Jordan Peterson quickly interjected.
“He’s the worst hypocrite in Canadian politics ever,” said Peterson.
Smith said Canadians don’t believe in the Liberals’ vision, citing Toronto—St. Paul’s, a Liberal stronghold since 1993, which was recently overturned.
“The public is seeing that they are one and the same in the kind of damage they’re causing to our economy,” she said.
There’s still time for the Liberals to do serious damage before they’re sent packing
Smith said she has recently seen Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault trying to push forward as many extreme policies as possible, perhaps knowing he has one foot out the door.
“I don’t know if they’re going for broke, if they just think, we’re going to lose anyway, so we may as well get all of this on the table because it will take years to undo. Or, if they honestly think that making energy and food more expensive for all Canadians is somehow a winning strategy,” she said.
Old-fashioned Liberals led with their heart and compassion, said Smith.
She said Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has become the biggest advocate for the regular, everyday person having trouble making ends meet.
“I don’t know when the Liberals stopped caring, but it’s so obvious that what you’ve described is true: they’re not putting people first anymore,” said Smith.