Smith is outmaneuvering her political peers. Pictured: Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. Photo Credit: Danielle Smith/X.
Throughout this past year as Canadians have suffered from the personal agendas and ineptitude of their politicians, one political figure has stood out in defining responsible and effective leadership. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is exemplifying principled governing that is serving the best interests of the country and benefiting its citizens. For her tireless efforts in advancing the country’s standing both as a functioning confederation and an independent nation, Smith is “The 2024 Canadian Politician of the Year.”
A principled politician
One aspect that sets her apart from many of Canada’s elected representatives is that Smith is continuously demonstrating in speech and deed her creditable character. She is intellectually and politically astute. She is thoughtful and articulate, as well as reasonable and respectful in addressing thorny and contentious issues. Most impressive in this day and age of “personality politics,” Smith has established she is principled both in her politics and in her approach to governing.
Smith has been described as everything from a libertarian to a populist; she identified herself in a 2023 Calgary Sun interview as a “caring conservative”. In 2022, Smith won the leadership of the United Conservative Party (UCP), and the following year led them to win a majority government with a mandate to defend Albertans’ economic and political interests. In November 2024, she garnered a solid 91.5 per cent approval rating in her party’s leadership review. At the UCP conference she observed, “We are seeing a rise in common-sense conservative policies and principles gaining traction and momentum right across the country.” In many ways, Smith is the face of that common-sense conservativism, recognized as an unabashed conservative premier who is advancing responsible fiscal policies, free markets, and individual freedom and responsibility.
We R Conservative, the grassroots group of conservative-minded individuals across the country, list a number of admirable attributes that has Smith standing out among her peers: “loves her province and country and works tirelessly to keep both strong”; “determined, doesn’t back down from controversial issues, stands her ground and provides facts as to why she’s doing something”; “smart, focused, mind like a trap, [with an] ability to recall information and details and present them clearly”; and “tenacious about standing up for the energy industry and province”. The conservative organization also lauds that Smith is “principled and straightforward.”
A nation builder
Smith is recognized throughout the country as a fierce defender of the country’s oil and gas sector and Albertans’ economic interests against a federal government that has as its mission the shutting down of the country’s oil and gas production in favour of developing renewable energy resources. The Smith government has taken on Ottawa on a number of fronts respecting the oil and gas sector, including winning a Supreme Court of Canada decision against the federal “no more pipeline act,” attacking the federal “employment transition plan” that would retrain oil and gas workers as “ill-conceived and short sighted,” and launching a public relations campaign to explain the recklessness of the federal 2035 n et-zero electricity targets (something the Trudeau government has just backed away from admitting the timetable was unrealistic).
In 2024, Smith was most vocal in condemning the Trudeau Liberals for their oil and gas emissions cap policy designed to throttle down the production of oil and gas in Alberta by setting aggressive emissions targets for 2032. Smith has taken every opportunity to lash out at federal environment minister Steven Guilbeault as having a “deranged vendetta” against the oil and gas industry. Weeks ago, in response to the federal policy announcement, Smith introduced the provincial Sovereignty Act as a “constitutional shield” to “protect Alberta” against Ottawa’s plans. Announcing her intention to put in place a mix of policy regulations and legislation, Smith stated, “We’re fighting back with every weapon in our arsenal…. We’re telling Ottawa your cap goes too far. This is not the way federal-provincial relations should be.”
Even as Smith is fighting for the Canadian oil and gas sector, more significantly the Alberta premier is fighting to recast the prevalent attitudes of the country’s political power structure, reconstituting the nation’s model of confederation to make it fairer for all Canadians. Smith is, in effect, balancing the scales of power by challenging the Trudeau Liberals and their Laurentian-elite biases to treat all provinces equally. In an opinion piece published in the National Post, Chris Selley put it this way: “For years, it seemed like Ottawa just hoped the other provinces wouldn’t notice as it gave Quebec pretty much everything it wanted, with much (though certainly not universal) agreement from wise-owl Laurentian pundits. But the other provinces did notice. And Ottawa has no answer except that some members of the federation are more equal than others.”
Smith makes the further argument that this fight she has taken up will make for a stronger more economically dynamic nation. In a recent address in the Alberta Legislature, Smith was unapologetic in her attacks on the Trudeau government, “We cannot sit back and allow them to steamroll over the Constitution and we will not… We will make sure our friends, allies and trading partners have the resources they need. The world is changing their perspective on the need for energy security. I think what we have seen in the last five years is the fantasy vision of Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault that our entire economy can be powered on solar and wind and batteries has been blown out of the water. If we don’t stand up now we risk so much more and that is not a risk I am willing to take.”
A champion of Canada
Often at times of crisis, true leaders emerge – and, since American president-elect Donald Trump posed the threat of a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods, Smith has been stalwart in her presentation of the Canadian case for continued free trade between Canada and the United States. Smith has met with American State Governors, appeared on U.S. news shows, announced a comprehensive provincial border security initiative, and in a few weeks will conduct key discussions with political offices in Washington D.C. while attending President-elect Donald Trump’s Inauguration Party.
Smith has been factual in her replies to Trump’s public criticisms of Canada. She emphasizes the importance of American energy security and the 4.3 million barrels of oil and gas Alberta sends daily to the U.S. She argues that millions of American jobs depend on Canadian resources, and Canadian trade contributes trillions of dollars to the American economy. Her message to Trump was direct and sincere, “As a conservative premier in Canada, I believe we have two of the greatest countries on earth. We have fought and bled together in many wars, and built an incredible alliance and partnership. I really hope we can strengthen that partnership throughout your Presidency by securing our shared border as you’ve requested and partnering to protect our North American workers from unfair Chinese trade practices. Americans and Canadians will both benefit immensely from this.”
Smith backed up her words by announcing a new Alberta border security patrol team to address drug smuggling, gun trafficking, and illegal crossing of the Alberta-Montana border. This Alberta action is a substantive response to Trump’s criticism of the lax Canadian border services. She then took to social media and American news programs to broadcast Alberta’s initiative. In a persuasive interview on Fox Business News, Smith asserted, “We have such a positive relationship with our integrated economy. We both benefit from it. So let’s address the issues that are irritants and then maybe we can talk about a more constructive trade relationship.” And then she gained the approval of the Fox reporters by claiming Alberta is considered the “Texas of the North.”
Former Liberal MP and outspoken political pundit Dan McTeague recently assessed in a True North editorial that Smith is outmaneuvering her political peers with her proactive stance in Canadian-American relations. McTeague wrote, “While Trudeau indulges in virtue signaling and Ford in saber rattling, Danielle Smith is engaging in true statesmanship. That’s something that is in short supply in our country these days…. Trump is playing chess while Justin Trudeau and Doug Ford are playing checkers. They should take note of Smith’s strategy. Honey will attract more than vinegar, and if the long history of our two countries tell us anything, it’s that diplomacy is more effective than idle threats.”
In one of Smith’s year-end interviews with the Calgary Herald, she was punchy in assessing the implosion of the Trudeau government and its implications for the country. “The only way you can solve this kind of chaos is to get a mandate. It is to have an election…. I think there’s a real danger if this just drags on and on and on for months when we’re right in the middle of a very serious threat from a biggest trading partner, the United States. The reason why I’ve had to take our argument to the Americans is I don’t trust the federal government is organized enough to be able to do it.”
With the leadership vacuum in Ottawa as it is, Canadians owe a debt of gratitude for the effectual stands being made by Smith. Many thanks to Smith for her efforts in 2024 and wishing her the best with her pursuits of behalf of Canadians in the new year.
Chris George is an advocate, government relations advisor, and writer/copy editor. As president of a public relations firm established in 1994, Chris provides discreet counsel, tactical advice and management skills to CEOs/Presidents, Boards of Directors and senior executive teams in executing public and government relations campaigns and managing issues. Prior to this PR/GR career, Chris spent seven years on Parliament Hill on staffs of Cabinet Ministers and MPs. He has served in senior campaign positions for electoral and advocacy campaigns at every level of government. Today, Chris resides in Almonte, Ontario where he and his wife manage www.cgacommunications.com. Contact Chris at chrisg.george@gmail.com.
