Alberta premier calls on 'progressive' politicians to 'dial down' rhetoric after attack on Trump

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith — who once told former Fox News personality Tucker Carlson she wished he would put a federal cabinet minister in his "crosshairs" — called on "progressive" politicians to temper their language Monday after former U.S. president Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt.

Speaking to reporters as premiers gather in Halifax for the annual Council of the Federation, Smith said she's concerned about the language sometimes used to describe Canadian conservatives.

"Have you not looked at the headlines about how [Conservative Leader] Pierre Poilievre is described as dangerous? How the leader of the opposition in Alberta has described me as dangerous? When you start using that kind of rhetoric, that ends up creating an elevated risk for all of us," she said.

"And I think we have to be very mindful that we can have a disagreement in politics, but we have to stick to the issues."

On Saturday, Trump was injured in the upper part of his right ear when shots were fired at the stage where he was addressing a campaign rally in Butler, Pa. A Trump supporter was killed and two others were wounded before Secret Service agents shot dead the 20-year-old suspected gunman, whose motive has yet to be established.

"It's unacceptable and I'm glad that we're beginning to see that they recognize that things have gone too far," Smith said.

"The way in which conservative politicians have been characterized is outrageous and I think led to the culture that we've seen in the U.S., and I certainly hope that some of the progressive politicians here are careful of their language because they've been talking about conservative politicians in the same way and they need to dial it down."

But Smith herself has been criticized for using aggressive language to discuss political opponents.

Earlier this year, she was roundly condemned over comments she made to Carlson, a controversial conservative commentator, about federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.

Smith and Guilbeault have been at odds over the federal government's climate policies, which the premier has said are far too restrictive and are punishing Albertans who rely on fossil fuels.

During a conversation about the pitfalls of solar panels, Smith reportedly said to Carlson, "I wish you would put Steven Guilbeault in your crosshairs." 

"He's an environmental zealot. He happens to be our environmental minister federally. He believes he has the expertise and knowledge to tell us in Alberta how to run our power grid," Smith added.

At the time, Guilbeault said he felt "targeted" by the Smith-Carlson fireside chat.

Smith's press secretary accused the the minister of falsely implying the premier was inciting violence against him.