‘Que-Berta’: Alberta, Quebec premiers eye co-operation on economy, autonomy

“The best way to create resilience is to support each other and to have more trade with each other,” said Smith, adding that she was heartened to see products from Alberta being shipped from the Port of Quebec.

Fréchette said Alberta and Quebec have “complementary economies,” with Quebec exporting manufactured goods, agricultural products and aircraft while Alberta shipping energy products and natural resources. Both provinces are also growing their artificial intelligence hubs.

Speaking at a Federation of Chambers of Commerce of Quebec event earlier in the day, Smith said her tenuous grasp of the French language and other differences shouldn’t get in the way of Alberta and Quebec strengthening economic ties.

Smith told business leaders that the recent playoff demise of the Montreal Canadiens was just one of many ways Albertans and Quebecers could relate to each other.

Smith, who switched between French and English, said when the Habs became the last Canadian team standing in the National Hockey League playoffs Albertans threw their support behind Montreal.

“This is an excellent example of why I’m here, too. And we hope that you are cheering for us, too, not only in hockey, but in the strength of our federation,” Smith said.

She said Alberta and Quebec should forge ahead with a stronger economic alliance, and called on business leaders to deepen their connections with Alberta and promised to do the same upon returning home.

“We should do everything that we can to boost trade ties, partnerships and collaboration between our two great provinces,” Smith said.

The premier jokingly pointed to her grasp of the French language — at one point telling the crowd to “hang on to your ears” before switching from English — and said that while there are major differences between Quebec and Alberta, she thinks there’s much to gain by working together.

She said Alberta’s agriculture sector was a perfect match for Quebec’s agri-food processing industry and that plastics produced in her province feed well into the manufacturing sector in the east.

“We see lots of other points of connection, too — in aerospace, in defence, in critical minerals, in liquefied natural gas and clean energy,” said Smith.

She also mentioned each province’s historically shaky relationship with Ottawa.

“And with shifting geopolitics, Alberta is keen to collaborate on an east-west energy corridor as discussion about energy, sovereignty and security become increasingly relevant.”

Fréchette has previously said she was willing to reopen the debate on shale gas and hydraulic fracturing in Quebec.

Quebec’s Canada relations minister, Jean Boulet, speaking at the same event, said Smith’s trip to Quebec was a clear sign of the importance she placed on the relationship between the two provinces.

“The current geopolitical situation worldwide is unstable, but Quebec and Alberta can count on each other,” Boulet said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3, 2026.

— By Jack Farrell in Edmonton and Erika Morris in Montreal

The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

‘Que-Berta’: Alberta, Quebec premiers eye co-operation on economy, autonomy

What's Trending