Smith promotes AI data centres, talks referendum to national business leaders

An attentive group of prominent business leaders looked on as Premier Danielle Smith touched on a variety of topics related to industries fuelling Alberta’s and Canada’s economies on Thursday.

Smith was in Edmonton for the Alberta Industrial Heartland Association conference, where around 1,000 attendees from government and various industrial sectors met to discuss growing Canada’s key industries.

One such industry is data centres, which the Alberta government is keen on.

The UCP government announced during this past Calgary Stampede that social media conglomerate Meta will be building a $13-billion AI data centre in the region northeast of Edmonton, with the project being powered by a natural gas fired facility nearby..

“We always have to work to make sure that they (Albertans and Canadians) understand that AI is going to be used for good,” said Smith during a fireside chat after her address.

There have been some setbacks on the AI front, as UCP government ministers have faced angry and surly crowds at town halls over the matter.

In Olds, the province’s energy regulator rejected the natural gas plant that would have fuelled the Snyapse data centre near Olds, with the report stating that the facility would be much too close to the southern Alberta town.

It’s one of many problems that have emerged in recent weeks in Alberta and Canada, with the breakdown in trade talks between the two nations fuelling an exchange of tariffs between the two nations.

Smith acknowledged the visceral anger Canadians are feeling about this, while saying the problem is the United States.

“I don’t think we were ever expecting that these obscure tariff provisions would be drawn out and used against our principle industries,” she said. “I think things fell off the table because Howard Lutnick (the U.S. Secretary of Commerce) came in at the last minute and upset the agreement.”

This from Smith came ahead of the keynote address by Kirsten Hillman, Canada’s former ambassador to the United States and someone with intimate knowledge of Canada-U.S. trade.

Hillman was named as the lead negotiator in Canada-U.S. trade talks by Prime Minister Mark Carney before announcing she would be leaving her post in 2026, which she did this past February.

In addition to trade tensions with the United States, Smith was asked by the discussion moderator about the referendum and its potential effect on investor confidence.

Albertans are slated to respond to 10 questions on the referendum, nine of which pertain to immigration and constitutional changes the province is seeking, while the 10th and most prominent question asks if Albertans want to start the process of a binding referendum on leaving Canada or staying in Confederation.

While she acknowledged it didn’t go over very well, Smith told the audience of business leaders that there’s a way for people to get their point across through this referendum.

“I think the best way to send a message is to give us an endorsement on the other nine questions that are on the ballot so that we can continue working constructively with the federal government,” said Smith.

The official opposition NDP has been a frequent critic of the referendum process, even calling at times for it to be paused.

In a statement, the official opposition NDP leader Naheed Nenshi said Smith hasn’t “lifted a finger” to campaign for Canadian unity and noted, “it’s time for a premier who will work with Team Canada to improve Canada for everyone.”