Majority of Albertans want premier Smith to align with 'Team Canada' on U.S. trade war
New Angus Reid poll finds 62% of Albertans believe national interests should come before provincial ones during tariff dispute, echoing broader Canadian sentiment of 69%.
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A substantial majority of Albertans want their province to align with a unified "Team Canada" response to the U.S. trade war, according to new polling that puts pressure on Premier Danielle Smith to soften her province-first approach.
The Angus Reid Institute conducted an online survey from August 22 to 24, 2026, among 1,770 Canadian adults. The results show 62 percent of Albertans believe Canada's interests should be placed above the province's during the trade dispute — a position aligned with the national sentiment: 69 percent of all Canadians hold the same view. Majorities in every other province back the "Team Canada" approach: Saskatchewan at 57 percent and Manitoba at 75 percent.
A country-wide majority also agrees that Prime Minister Mark Carney and Canadian negotiators made the right decision to walk away from the table with the United States, the poll found.
Smith has faced repeated accusations that her approach to the U.S.-Canada trade war is out of step with other provinces. The polling suggests public opinion in Alberta itself now reflects that broader concern. The survey methodology details and full results tables by province and demographic were not disclosed in the published release. Comparative polling on provincial versus national interest during trade disputes in Canada prior to 2026 is not readily available in public records, making it difficult to assess whether this represents a shift in Albertan sentiment or a consistent position.
By the numbers
What percentage of Albertans prioritize national over provincial interests in the U.S. trade dispute?
62 percent of Albertans believe Canada's interests should come before Alberta's during the trade dispute, according to an Angus Reid Institute poll conducted from August 22 to 24, 2026.
How does Alberta's position compare to the national average?
69 percent of Canadians nationwide hold the same 'Team Canada' view, compared to 62 percent in Alberta. Saskatchewan supports this approach at 57 percent and Manitoba at 75 percent.
