Danielle Smith's Comments Raise Serious Questions About Election Interference

Premier Danielle Smith has made headlines once again—and this time, it’s not just embarrassing. It’s dangerous.

During an appearance on the far-right American podcast Breitbart, Smith admitted that she asked officials in Donald Trump’s administration to pause U.S. tariffs on Canada until after the federal election. Why? Because, in her own words:

“Because of what we see as unjust and unfair tariffs, it’s actually caused an increase in support for the Liberals... That’s what I fear... it seems to be benefiting the Liberals right now. I would hope that we could put things on pause, is what I’ve told administration officials.”

Let that sink in. A sitting Canadian premier openly admitted to asking a foreign government to manipulate international trade policy in order to disadvantage the federal government and boost her preferred candidate—Pierre Poilievre.

This isn’t just irresponsible. It’s a reckless and deeply undemocratic move that raises urgent questions:

• If she was willing to say this on the record, what is she saying behind closed doors?

• Is she using her office to align with foreign actors in hopes of influencing the outcome of a federal election?

• And most importantly: Is this election interference?

Whether or not this crosses a legal line, it’s clear that Smith has crossed a moral and ethical one. This is a direct threat to Canadian sovereignty and to the integrity of our democracy.

What should be investigated?

At minimum, Elections Canada and possibly the RCMP should investigate:

• Whether Smith’s request to a foreign government to influence the outcome of a Canadian federal election constitutes a violation of the Canada Elections Act;

• If her actions amount to collusion with a foreign entity, intended to alter public opinion or electoral outcomes;

• Whether there is a breach of public trust under provincial or federal statutes;

• If there was any quid pro quo or coordinated effort between her office and federal opposition parties.

Even in the absence of a clear-cut legal violation, these comments undermine trust in the electoral process and erode democratic norms. We cannot normalize the idea of Canadian officials requesting foreign powers to interfere in our democratic system.

Smith also went on to say that Poilievre is more "in sync with the new direction in America," and dismissed the values she labels as "woke"—many of which include human rights, environmental protections, and equity. She’s not just aligning with Trumpism—she’s actively inviting it across our border.

As Canadians prepare to vote on April 28, we must recognize that our democracy is not invincible. It must be protected—not just from foreign interference, but from those within our own country who are willing to invite it.

Danielle Smith is going to have to answer some very serious questions in the coming days, and Canadians should demand accountability.

We don’t get many moments in history where the choice is this clear. Either we defend democracy, or we let people like Danielle Smith and Donald Trump define it for us.

Stay informed. Stay vigilant. And make sure everyone you know is registered to vote.

More soon,
Elbows up. Democracy doesn’t defend itself.