Canadian politician raises eyebrows by meeting privately with Trump at Mar-a-Lago

The head of Canada's most conservative province visited Donald Trump at his Florida home to discuss her nation's relationship with the U.S.

Alberta premier Danielle Smith confirmed her visit Sunday morning in a social media post, saying she and the president-elect had a "friendly and constructive conversation," and other posts on her X account showed her meeting with "Shark Tank" star Kevin O'Leary and right-wing influencer Jordan Peterson at Mar-a-Lago, reported CBC.

"I emphasized the mutual importance of the U.S.-Canadian energy relationship, and specifically, how hundreds of thousands of American jobs are supported by energy exports from Alberta," Smith posted. "I was also able to have similar discussions with several key allies of the incoming administration and was encouraged to hear their support for a strong energy and security relationship with Canada."

O'Leary, a Canadian-born investor, has expressed support for Trump's proposal of an economic union between the U.S. and its northern neighbor, who Trump has threatened with 25 percent tariffs to pressure that nation and Mexico to enact stricter measures on illegal immigration and drug smuggling.

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"I will continue to engage in constructive dialogue and diplomacy with the incoming administration and elected federal and state officials from both parties, and will do all I can to further Alberta's and Canada's interests," Smith posted.

Alberta responded to Trump's tariff threats by introducing plans to create a $29 million border patrol team, featuring 51 officers, patrol dogs and surveillance drones, under the command of the province's sheriffs, but a political scientist expressed concern that Smith might be cutting a side deal that leaves out other Canadian provinces.

"When she's speaking for Canada, for Canada's interest, she can be quite effective and she can reach an audience that some others cannot," said political scientist Lori Williams, of Mount Royal University.

"If ... the message is my province and its industries are most important and I don't like the federal government and I don't care about the industries in other provinces, if that's the sort of thing that's going on, then that's going to be counterproductive," Williams added. "It's not going to help Canada. It's actually going to put us in a weaker, rather than in a stronger position."

Calgary Herald columnist Rick Bell said Smith has been talking with Trump allies and making appearances on Fox News to get the president-elect's attention, and he noted that Trump "made a beeline" toward her when she showed up Saturday at the party he was hosting at the private resort and then invited her to lunch the following day.

"No one knows where this will lead but the smart money now bets if anyone is going to get a reprieve from Trump’s tariffs it will likely be the oilpatch," Bell wrote. "Of course, nothing, absolutely nothing, is certain."