Danielle Smith sees a political language problem when she looks in one direction

The attempted assassination of Donald Trump was, for many in public life, cause for reflection.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith used it as a moment to reflect on how bad the rhetoric from her political rivals has gotten.

«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,» the premier told reporters as a premiers' conference began Monday in Halifax.

Two days earlier, a 20-year-old with a semi-automatic rifle pierced the former president's right ear with a bullet — and no motivation has since been established. That has not prevented some of Trump's fellow Republicans, including his new vice-presidential running mate, from blaming the heinous act on rhetoric fromPresident Joe Biden and other Democrats.

Absent from their political swipe was any self-criticism of violence in conservative rhetoric.

Up north, in a country with a comparatively negligible history of revolution or attempts to murder leaders, Smith pointed a finger at the language of New Democrats and Liberals against herself and the federal Conservative leader.

«Have you not looked at the headlines about how Pierre Poilievre is described as dangerous?» the premier said. «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.»

It's true that Naheed Nenshi, the Alberta NDP's new leader, has taken to repeatedly slagging Smith as «immoral» and «dangerous,» often with «incompetent» to form a triad of epithets. He wields the D-word that Smith despairs of because of her forthcoming transgender rights policies,