U.S. tariffs — a worry, a distraction or a positive? Voters in Alberta weigh in

Sal Shivji was a manager in the telecommunications industry when outsourcing made his job redundant. It was 2023, and the company was moving its dispatching to the Philippines.  

That's why he sees the tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump a little differently. 

"I think it's a positive thing, to be honest," said the father of two, who was waiting for his children at Genesis Place in Airdrie, Alta., when CBC News stopped by.

"Trump is really trying to run a business," said Shivji. "He is a businessman, and I think at the end of the day, he's trying to think of his country and trying to keep things in house."

"We should be focusing on the same thing.… How are we going to support our own people, and how are we going to increase jobs here — employment, keep our country wealthy and get out of the debt that we're in?" 

• What issue matters the most to you this federal election, and why? Share your personal stories with us at ask@cbc.ca.

CBC News has been asking Canadian voters in communities across the country what matters to them this federal election campaign. Many cite tariffs as top of mind, but that's not always in the context of who is the best leader to put "elbows up" and push back.

Some in Alberta see this as a long-needed reason to pause, to take a critical look at what Canada actually needs to do to thrive despite U.S. tariffs. 

Shivji has moved on from the layoff. He's now starting his own business, a shawarma restaurant in Chestermere. 

He said in his view, people see the tariffs as negative because if the threats were implemented, that could have a major impact on steel, beef and other markets. 

But in the long-term, he believes Canada will be better off producing and consuming products within the country as much as possible. He's an undecided voter, and that's what he wants party leaders to focus on in this campaign.

"Instead of thinking what's going to happen now, let's think about what we're going to do long-term to solve this problem, because at the end of day, it's hitting us in the face."

On Wednesday, Trump said previously announced tariffs on Canadian-made vehicles were going ahead but did not include Canada on his list of countries with 10 per cent "baseline" tariffs.

The phrase "elbows up" became a rallying cry for many after Canadian comedian Mike Myers mouthed the words "elbows up" during an appearance last month on Saturday Night Live. It captures what many Canadians express when they talk about Trump.

There's a lot of anger and fear about the existing and potential impact of the tariffs on sectors of the economy.

Just outside Calgary at the Airdrie recreation centre, parents were taking their kids to swim lessons, birthday parties, gymnastics tryouts and hockey games, juggling backpacks and hockey sticks.

Several small business owners told CBC News they're trying to buy Canadian but it's impossible to acquire the right supplies without sourcing items from the States. Others talked about the need to find new trade partners in Europe or Asia, and they talked about wanting more pipelines to transport oil and gas across the country.

And for many, the idea of sovereignty was top of mind. 

Andrea Adams is a mother of two who stopped to talk to CBC News. She runs a small business, an HR consultancy, which serves other small businesses.

"I'm concerned about the impact on those businesses and the trickle-down effect it's going to have on me," she said. "I'm just seeing a lot of anxiety right now. I haven't seen much impact, but it does seem to be getting a bit quiet."

"I think there's lots of opportunities for businesses in Canada to get more efficient. There's an opportunity for us to really tackle that now — maximize our use of AI to our advantage to make us more efficient businesses so we're better able to compete and remain effective. This is going to be challenging times."

I'm concerned about ... the trickle-down effect.- Andrea Adams

She said in the last weeks she's also been thinking more about unity, and about how important it is for Canadians to really pay attention during this campaign and focus on the policies being proposed, not just the politicians' speaking points. 

The other concern CBC reporters have been hearing from Canadians is that all this tariff talk is overshadowing other, long-standing concerns that need airing and debate. 

"Sometimes these hot-button issues can take up too much of the conversation," Aamjiwnaang First Nation member Christopher Pitre told a CBC London reporter at a Fanshawe College end-of-year celebration.

Many young Indigenous voters there wanted candidates to focus on reconciliation and the environment.

In Alberta, voters often talk about tariffs with concern they will aggravate cost-of-living challenges and drive up the cost of business. That's some of what CBC News heard while visiting an agricultural expo in Lethbridge and talking with residents in Pincher Creek. 

A CBC reporter also spent time just south of Calgary, talking with voters in Okotoks, where Dan Rennie was with his children at the Okotoks Recreation Centre. 

Rennie is a stay-at-home dad and part-time assistant hockey coach. He said he worries Trump and his tariffs are a distraction, and that in giving so much attention to Trump and his chaos, Canada is giving him too much influence.

"I want to hear more about Canada and less about Trump. I think the more we hear about Trump and the more we talk about him, the more power he has, and we should try and ignore him as much as we can," said Rennie. 

"Now that I have kids, I start thinking about what I want Canada to look like in the future, and I don't want America to have a big input on it. I think Canadians at a national level and at a grassroots level need to have more input."

This election campaign, Rennie said, he wants the candidates to focus on giving a clear plan for this country, especially for dealing with the cost of living and inflation. No "rage baiting," just clear policy and vision.

What issue matters the most to you this federal election, and why? Share your personal stories with us at ask@cbc.ca. Read more from Canadian voters at cbc.ca/whatmatters.