Danielle Smith's Mar-a-Lago visit cost more than $10,000, documents reveal

Julia Wong · CBC News

· Posted: May 05, 2025 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 8 minutes ago

A clearer representation is emerging of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's sojourn to Mar-a-Lago to conscionable past president-elect Donald Trump successful January, arsenic a commercialized warfare with the United States loomed.

The unexpected travel outgo $10,101.87 and included 3 others — one of whom flew location successful concern people — according to documents obtained by CBC News done a Freedom of Information petition and a regular disclosure stating some who travelled with the premier and the full outgo of the visit.

The trip, which Smith announced soon aft the information connected societal media, prompted criticism that she was not portion of the unified "Team Canada" effect to the menace of Trump's tariffs. 

Smith was the lone premier who visited Trump's golf nine astatine the clip and has antecedently said they had a "constructive" speech successful which she "emphasized the communal value of the U.S.-Canadian vigor relationship."

Now, records amusement Smith visited the Palm Beach, Fla., club from Jan. 10 to 12, joined by chief of unit Rob Anderson, main caput Rebecca Polak and James Rajotte, Alberta's elder typical to the United States. 

The outgo of flights, hotels, meals and different expenses totalled $10,101.87 for the astir 48-hour trip. 

Travel was billed astatine $7,935, and included a one-way formation for Anderson successful concern people from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Calgary, connecting done Montreal, that outgo $2,848.70. All 4 stayed astatine a Marriott during the trip.

The documents, erstwhile cross-referenced with the province's publically accessible question and disbursal disclosure table, besides amusement that Smith, Polak and Anderson travelled to Florida from Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. 

In a question argumentation signifier that outlined the details of the Florida visit, the projected ngo nonsubjective and cardinal initiatives were redacted.

A 2nd ngo nonsubjective was stated as: "Engage cardinal incoming medication allies and summation insights connected planetary trade, and political/administration/policy changes which whitethorn impact Alberta and Canada."

Later successful January, connected inauguration day, Smith was asked astir the travel by CBC News main analogous Adrienne Arsenault.

"What I asked the president was, bash you privation to bargain much lipid and state from Canada? And helium said yes," Smith said.

Response from premier's office

CBC News sent a database of questions to the premier's bureau seeking clarity connected the details of the visit.

Sam Blackett, the premier's property secretary, pointed to comments Smith has antecedently made, including the premier's Jan. 12 societal media station astir the travel and astatine a regular committee gathering successful March, erstwhile she explained she was successful Punta Cana connected vacation for Anderson's wedding.

"The accidental to spell to Florida emerged astatine that time. Because it was authorities business, determination was a one-way formation from Punta Canada to Florida for each of us," Smith said, according to a transcript. 

She besides stated that Anderson has a doctor's enactment astir a humor information that requires him to question concern class.

Smith besides explained her approach.

"I tin archer you that the fig of meetings that we person had - the strategy that we're taking is that we are gathering with influencers connected the U.S. President," she told the committee.

Blackett did not respond to questions astir however agelong the premier met with Trump, whether it justified the wide terms tag of the travel and its instrumentality connected concern and wherefore Smith was accompanied by 3 others.

Lori Williams, a governmental subject prof astatine Mount Royal University successful Calgary, said the January sojourn raises questions.

"It makes consciousness that James Rajotte would beryllium portion of this but it isn't arsenic wide to maine wherefore 2 different unit successful summation to the premier would person been needed astatine this peculiar visit," she said.

The deficiency of clarity implicit however agelong Smith met with Trump raises different inquiries for Williams.

"We're talking astir a ample sum of money, $10,000, to beryllium spent for possibly much radical being progressive than were necessary, for what mightiness person been a precise little speech and had precise small impact," she said.

Williams points to different engagements the premier has been a portion of, including speaking astatine conferences with U.S. governors and appearing connected U.S. media outlets, saying they're effectual ways to stock Canada's concerns.

"It's not wide that this comparatively costly accidental would person been 1 of them," she said. "It's this benignant of bigger question astir whether you're spending much successful the mode of taxation dollars successful ways that doesn't sufficiently respect the hard enactment that went into earning those dollars by the radical of Alberta."