“I had a constructive discussion with my fellow Premiers on how best to deal with the threat of tariffs from the incoming U.S. administration. We agreed on several strategies and I look forward to continuing to work with them on this critical issue.

“However, federal government officials continue to publicly and privately float the idea of cutting off energy supply to the U.S. and imposing export tariffs on Alberta energy and other products to the United States. Until these threats cease, Alberta will not be able to fully support the federal government’s plan in dealing with the threatened tariffs.

“Alberta will simply not agree to export tariffs on our energy or other products, nor do we support a ban on exports of these same products. We will take whatever actions are needed to protect the livelihoods of Albertans from such destructive federal policies.

“We also urge our entire nation to use this tariff threat as an opportunity to correct the misguided direction of this country and commence multiple infrastructure projects that focus on developing, upgrading and exporting our oil, gas and other natural resources, instead of effectively landlocking them and keeping us fully reliant on one primary customer.

“I will be travelling to Washington D.C. this week for the inauguration, and will be returning to the United States several times over the coming months to meet with U.S. lawmakers and officials to continue to make the case against the imposition of tariffs on Canadian products and to strengthen and grow the trading relationship between our two great and independent nations.”