Alberta’s Smith says Canadians ‘confused’ by Trump’s targeting of Lake Ontario

EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is pushing her message for an end to the fierce U.S.-Canada trade war directly to Americans.

Smith, appearing on the Fox Business Network on Monday, was asked how Canadians feel about U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent move to rebrand Lake Ontario as Lake America.

“Canadians are confused. I think they’re disappointed,” she said.

Smith added it’s particularly confounding given the two countries’ long-standing economic and military relationship.

Canadian troops stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Americans in Afghanistan, she said, and the upcoming 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the United States is a reminder of that close relationship.

“We don’t understand why the Americans would want Canada to be weaker,” Smith said.

“I think we’re stronger together.”

The United States imposed 50 per cent tariffs on billions of dollars in Canadian exports starting Aug. 22, after trade talks fell apart. Canada announced retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products would start Sept. 8.

When asked who will be hurt the most by the trade war — Canada or the United States — Smith said it will topple small businesses and decimate jobs on both sides of the border.

She also repeated that her province’s oil and gas exports wouldn’t be used as a bargaining chip in trade talks, despite a push from some, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford, to keep everything on the table.

Smith continued to urge the Trump administration and Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government to sit down and resolve the dispute.

“Canadians are really hopeful that we can get back to the table — just talk about the outstanding issues, (and) resolve them. We came very close to a deal,” she said.

Alberta was also drawn into the debate Monday by Republicans and members of Trump’s administration.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, speaking to CNBC, accused Carney of turning the trade talks into a “political shouting match.” He rejected concerns the countries are in a “tit-for-tat” trade war.

“I don’t think you can be in a tit-for-tat with someone who’s 13 times larger than you are,” he said.

“How are we going to be at war with Canada? What are they going to do — take their two submarines from the Edmonton mall and sic them on us?” he said, referring to a West Edmonton Mall submarine ride decommissioned in 2005.

Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland was asked about trade tensions on the far-right Newsmax news service, and he quickly pointed to Alberta’s ongoing separation debate.

“We should make it the 51st state,” he said, noting the province’s tremendous oil reserves.

“A lot of those provinces don’t want to be associated with Ottawa, and the president is taking advantage of it,” said Harris.

Smith isn’t the only Canadian premier to try to appeal to American television audiences since trade talks between the two countries disintegrated.

Ford told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer last week his war of words with Trump got a little personal but that he wants to make a good deal for people on both sides of the border.

Ford and Trump had been exchanging insults, with Ford calling the president a bully, among other things, and Trump saying the premier was a “less charismatic, intelligent” version of his late brother, former Toronto mayor Rob Ford.

Sitting in the Oval Office on Thursday, near a map with the name “Lake America” over the body of water, Trump said Canada has been difficult to deal with and repeated claims the country is ripping off the United States.

“They want to be treated like a state, but they are not a state,” Trump said.

When asked why he’s targeting American allies with these types of actions instead of American adversaries, Trump said “they haven’t treated us well.”

“The Canadian officials have treated us very badly,” Trump said.

“They are nasty people.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 31, 2026.

Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press