'Buy Canadian,' federal minister urges Canadians to use purchasing power | Alberta Primetime

Summary

Federal Finance Minister Franis Phipe Champagne told Alberta business and political audiences that Canada is facing new costs tied to a developing U.S.-Canada trade escalation. He cited retaliatory tariffs and U.S. executive orders banning Canadian imports. Champagne said the government expects some pain from the “unjust trade war” and noted that Calgary’s existing contracts could face costs of up to half a billion dollars. He emphasized, however, that the broader message is that Canada will respond in a way meant to protect domestic industry rather than widen the conflict.

Champagne argued that the federal government’s response is targeted, strategic, and proportionate. He described countermeasures designed to level the playing field—“dollar for dollar, tariff for tariff”—so U.S. firms do not gain an unfair advantage in Canada.

He also stressed that Plan A remains focused on strengthening the economy at home by:

• Removing interprovincial trade barriers (citing potential $200B in GDP gains)
• Diversifying trade
• Advancing projects considered of national interest

Alberta-focused message

Ahead of a cabinet retreat in B.C., Champagne framed the message for Alberta as one of unity and building capacity, despite geopolitical and economic uncertainty.

He highlighted Canada’s underlying strengths, including:

• Attracting talent
• Significant industrial capacity (manufacturing)
• Natural resources, including critical minerals
• Energy, including nuclear and renewables

He said Canada enters the situation with fiscal strength, explaining that it has spent less and invested more—allowing support for workers and businesses “with whatever it takes for as long as it takes.”

Execution and competitiveness

Champagne predicted the cabinet meeting would focus on execution—building fast and at big scale—by leveraging Alberta’s:

• Construction and trades workforce
• AI and defense investment (including CFB Edmonton)
• Oil and gas
• Critical minerals

He connected the trade fight to future competitiveness, noting that Canada’s resilience is reflected in recent economic performance, including 3.3% growth in the last quarter among G7 countries.

Energy policy and “trust”

Finally, he linked ongoing energy policy discussions—including the West Coast pipeline—to Canada’s broader role as an energy supplier. He described this as building “trust,” suggesting global demand for energy, food security, and critical minerals makes Canada a valuable partner and could strengthen pathways for national interest projects.

Presenters / contributors

• Michael Higgins (host/interviewer)
• François-Philippe Champagne (Federal Finance Minister)