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2 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Premiers entering final day of meetings with public safety, internal trade on agenda
Canada's premiers are set to meet for the third and final day of their gathering in Ontario's cottage country, with internal trade, public safety and health care on the agenda. The premiers met with Prime Minister Mark Carney in Huntsville, Ont., on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing trade war with U.S. President Donald Trump after meeting with First Nation leaders the previous day. The prime minister and the premiers presented a united front in the face of U.S. tariffs, but revealed little about the negotiations with an Aug. 1 deadline in trade talks fast approaching. The prime minister and the premiers all downplayed the importance of getting a deal done soon to avoid further U.S. tariffs, saying they want the best deal possible regardless of timing. A number of provinces also signed several free trade deals to open up internal trade while others committed to building pipelines to get oil and gas to new markets. The premiers are set to hold a closing press conference this afternoon. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2025. Liam Casey, The Canadian Press Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
2 hours ago
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Carney to visit his hometown of Fort Smith, N.W.T., on Wednesday
Prime Minister Mark Carney will visit his hometown of Fort Smith, N.W.T., on Wednesday — his first official visit to the territory since he was elected. According to the Prime Minister's Office, Carney and Premier R.J. Simpson will meet with local families Wednesday morning in Fort Smith to discuss affordability challenges and food insecurity. Carney is also scheduled to meet with local leaders there about the impact of wildfires in the N.W.T. Though this wildfire season has been relatively calm so far, the territory has been hit hard by fires in recent years, including the evacuation of Fort Smith, Hay River and Yellowknife in 2023. Carney was born in Fort Smith and lived in the southern N.W.T. town until his family moved south when he was about six years old. He will be in Inuvik on Wednesday evening, where he will visit the local community centre and meet with Natan Obed, the president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and Duane Smith, the chair of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation. He's expected to discuss Bill C-5, the federal government's major projects legislation. The federal government said it would hold a series of "summits" over the summer with First Nations, Inuit and Métis to discuss the Building Canada Act, which gives the government the power to fast-track projects and bypass certain laws, government regulations and environmental assessments if an industry project is deemed in the national interest. The legislation has been controversial, with many First Nations groups saying it is a violation of their treaties and constitutional rights.
Hamilton Spectator
9 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Recap: Carney called negotiations with White House ‘complex'; Doug Ford inked deals with Alberta and Saskatchewan
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Canada's premiers met in Huntsville, Ont. today to address tariffs, Indigenous concerns and other national issues . Follow for the Star's coverage. This file is no longer updating. A bucolic resort in Muskoka is the political centre of Canada this week. On Monday, Canada's premiers gathered in cottage country to meet with Indigenous leaders, and they'll meet with Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday morning before the official start of their Council of the Federation meeting later today. In an unusual move, Premier Doug Ford, who is hosting the summit at Huntsville's Deerhurst Resort on Peninsula Lake, invited Carney to attend the provincial and territorial leaders' conference because of U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war against Canada. 'It's never been a more important time to welcome my fellow premiers to Ontario to continue the work we've done over the past year to protect Canada and our economy,' Ford said Thursday in Toronto. Read more from Robert Benzie Prime Minister Mark Carney, centre, Premier Doug Ford, left, and Quebec Premier Francois Legault, right, take part in a first ministers' meeting at the National War Museum in Ottawa on March 21, 2025. OTTAWA — Ahead of a meeting between the prime minister and premiers this week, a survey has found 'significant improvements' in the way Canadians feel about how well Ottawa and the provinces work together. According to a report on the state of Canada's federation from the Environics Institute and five other organizations, 52 per cent of Canadians feel like their governments work very well or somewhat well together, compared to 39 per cent who felt that way when the same survey was conducted in 2024. Conversely, 41 per cent of Canadians now feel like their governments are not working well together — either not very well or not well at all — compared to 54 per cent who felt that way one year ago. 'What's changed since last year? You have a new (federal) leader, but you also have this new sense of urgency, where I think the public's patience for government finger-pointing at each other has probably gone way down because the stakes have gone way up,' said Andrew Parkin, executive director of the Environics Institute, on the ever-escalating Canada-U.S. trade dispute. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Mark Carney and the country's premiers will convene in Huntsville following U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to slap 35 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports by Aug. 1 if a trade agreement between the nations is not reached by then. The survey found that Canadians' feelings about intergovernmental relations improved in most parts of the country outside of the North, where opinions were already more positive than in other regions. Compared to 2024 figures, Saskatchewan boasted the largest increase, where the proportion of those who felt satisfied by federal-provincial collaboration more than doubled. In Alberta and Quebec, however, the number of Canadians who felt the federal Liberals and their provincial governments did not work well together still outweighed those who felt the opposite. The survey was conducted between May 1 and June 16 with 5,391 Canadians, with 90 per cent of responses collected online and the remainder by telephone. Because the majority of the survey was conducted online, the Environics Institute did not calculate a margin of error because online polls, despite being representative, cannot be considered truly random. For the first time in the annual survey's seven-year-history, the Environics Institute also asked respondents whether they trust the federal government or their provincial government more when it comes to handling international trade relations. The report notes that 42 per cent of Canadians are more likely to trust the federal government on that file, which is triple the 14 per cent of those who trust their provincial government more. Levels of trust were highest in Quebec at 46 per cent, and lowest in the Prairie provinces at 38 per cent. Ottawa does not enjoy that same level of trust when it comes to other portfolios. 'After three consecutive years of increases, there has been a drop in the proportions trusting neither the federal nor their provincial government to deal with other key issues such as health care, climate change, immigration or the economy,' the report states. The proportion of Canadians who did not trust either Ottawa or their provincial government to address climate change, for example, dropped by seven percentage points from last year. 'This change follows the removal of the federal consumer carbon tax after the change of prime minister earlier this year,' the report noted. The survey also looked at supporters of provincial conservative parties in the prairies compared to those in Ontario, and found that of those who backed Alberta's United Conservative Party, the Saskatchewan Party and Manitoba's Progressive Conservatives, 68 per cent had a negative view of intergovernmental relations, while 27 per cent had a positive assessment. Meanwhile, 40 per cent of supporters of Premier Doug Ford's Progressive Conservatives had a negative view of those relations, with 56 per cent considering the relationship between provinces and the federal Liberals to be positive. Ford, a key ally to Carney, opted not to aid Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives, with whom he has a frosty relationship, in the recent federal election campaign. Premier Doug Ford, centre, welcomes Canada's other premiers as they pose for a portrait during their 2025 summer meeting at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville, Ont., on July 21, 2025. HUNTSVILLE, Ont. — Frustrated at being blocked from Tuesday's first ministers' meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney, Indigenous leaders are pushing for one including them amid deepening concerns about legislation fast-tracking mining and infrastructure projects in the fight against U.S. tariffs. The request came as Premier Doug Ford struck a softer tone over Ontario's Bill 5, which empowers the province to bypass environmental and other laws to create 'special economic zones' to speed development and offset an expected economic slowdown because of U.S. President Donald Trump's levies. 'It's time now, in 2025, that First Nations are at the table and that we have a bigger seat in this country,' Assembly of First Nations Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak said after a two-hour confab with premiers gathered Monday at Deerhurst Resort for their annual Council of the Federation meeting. 'We do have to have tough discussions with each other,' she added, criticizing Ford's Bill 5 and the similar federal Bill C-5, which passed quickly in recent weeks, for measures that 'bulldoze' treaty rights and other protections. 'We're all trying to make a better country. Rushing bills through is not a good way to start.' Ford, this year's chair of the council, pledged to pitch such a meeting to Carney over a barbecue dinner with premiers Monday night at his lakefront cottage south of Huntsville. 'We'll really push it as quickly as possible to make that happen,' he said. British Columbia Premier David Eby said the request from Nepinak was 'well received' by the premiers. 'Without question, Indigenous leadership need to be at the table with premiers and with the prime minister on issues,' he added. 'We know if we want to get projects done quickly … the projects have to have strong Indigenous partnerships.' The premiers' meeting with the Assembly of First Nations, the Métis National Council, Congress of Aboriginal Peoples and others centred on the fight many Indigenous leaders are waging against Ford's Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, and Carney's One Canadian Economy Act, which also has a less contentious element — removing most federal barriers to interprovincial trade. Both laws are aimed at speeding development of pipelines, rail corridors, mines and other major infrastructure projects — in Ottawa's case, projects deemed of 'national interest' and which the premiers and Carney are still discussing. Their passage left First Nations leaders furious at a lack of advance consultation. Ford and Carney have been attempting to smooth the resulting tensions ever since. Following their warnings that the controversial laws will end up slowing development, nine Ontario First Nations have launched legal challenges of both bills, insisting they are unconstitutional, and are seeking court injunctions to prevent Ottawa and Queen's Park from moving quickly on projects. 'Our rights cannot be implemented or respected without us, in substance and in process,' Nepinak warned last week. While still carrying a big stick in terms of his legislation, Ford said he'll work with First Nations that are in agreement on projects and keep talking to others that are not. 'The ones that want to be progressive, more quick, we'll move quick. The ones that want a little more conversation, that's fine,' Ford told reporters. 'For the most part, I can't do something if they don't want to do it,' he added. 'You can't move forward without their collaboration and buy-in.' That is hardly a guarantee, noted Chief Alvin Fiddler of Nishnawbe Aski Nation. 'That's not what the bills say,' said Fiddler, who sat in on the meeting and in May pledged 'fierce resistance' from native communities that are worried about being trampled in the rush to development. 'We don't believe you,' he added in a shot at Ford. Earlier in the day, Ford urged First Nations leaders to take advantage of billions of dollars in financial supports. 'This door is only open so long,' Ford said as he and his fellow premiers arrived at Deerhurst in a motorcade from Toronto, escorted by an Ontario Provincial Police motorcycle unit. 'There's never been a better opportunity for Indigenous communities — I'll speak for Ontario — than right now,' added Ford. 'There's $3 billion of equity sitting in the window that they can draw from. There's $70 million of training, $10 million of scholarships.' Ford is eager to accelerate projects in northwestern Ontario's Ring of Fire to extract critical minerals needed for electric vehicles, defence and other industries. 'We're gonna work with them,' he pledged in regard to First Nations. 'We want everyone to have an opportunity.' Carney, who met with hundreds of Indigenous representatives last Thursday in Gatineau over their concerns about the federal legislation, will provide premiers with an update Tuesday on trade negotiations with the Americans. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she's eager to hear more details from Carney on Bill C-5 and echoed Ford's concerns that major projects need to get rolling sooner rather than later. 'The problem has been, historically, that they haven't moved at all, that projects have 10 year or more time horizons,' she told reporters. 'This new world we're in, we have to figure out a way to get to 'yes' faster. It doesn't mean there isn't a robust conversation that has to happen, but it has to happen in a time frame when a proponent is going to know that the answer is 'yes' and how we get there,' Smith added. 'I'm supportive of an abridged time frame but I think we also have to figure out how that's going to work.' Fresh from entertaining Prime Minister Mark Carney and the provincial and territorial leaders Monday night at his cottage south of Huntsville, Premier Doug Ford says he is inking a memorandum of understanding Tuesday morning with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Saskatchewan's Scott Moe to promote pipelines and energy corridors. This builds upon the accord he signed with Smith at the Calgary Stampede earlier this month. The premiers are expected to discuss such major projects with Carney at this morning's first ministers' meeting at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville. On Monday before dinner, Ford signed agreements with British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut to eliminate barriers to internal trade. Ontario now has arrangements with all provinces and territories except Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador. Premier Doug Ford insists 'everything's on the table,' including reviving Ontario's threatened 25 per cent export tax on the electricity the province sends to 1.5 million customers in three states, if U.S. President Donald Trump persists in his trade war against Canada. Ontario Premier Doug Ford, left, talks with Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe during the meeting of Canada's premiers at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville, Ont., on Monday. Moe revealed details about the dinner Ford hosted on Monday night. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe notes Premier Doug Ford, who does not eat red meat (or drink alcohol), served steak for dinner Monday night with the premiers and Prime Minister Mark Carney at his cottage. Ford, who worked summers at Canada Packers as a student, sticks to chicken or fish and has tried (with limited success) to convince his aides of the merits of veggie burgers at past barbecues. As Queen's Park, Alberta and Saskatchewan sign their new MOU 'to bring Ontario critical minerals and Western Canadian oil and gas to new markets,' Premier Doug Ford says energy projects will be top of mind in discussions later Tuesday morning with Prime Minister Mark Carney. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says Carney is 'off to a good start' in terms of working with the provinces on getting energy to market. U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra delivers his speech during a Fourth of July party at Lornado, the residence of the ambassador from the United States, in Ottawa, Friday, July 4, 2025. Canadians avoiding travel to the United States and banning American alcohol are among the reasons U.S. President Donald Trump thinks the country is 'nasty' to deal with, the U.S. ambassador to Canada said Monday. Pete Hoekstra told a conference audience on Monday that such steps 'don't send positive signals' about Canada treating the United States well. Hoekstra was speaking at the annual Pacific NorthWest Economic Region Foundation summit in Bellevue, Washington. The Canadian Press was provided with a recording of the ambassador's comments by the office of B.C. Premier David Eby, which said it received the audio from someone who was in the audience. Eby said in a statement that Hoekstra's remarks show Canadians' efforts to stand up to Trump are 'having an impact,' and he encouraged people to 'keep it up.' Read more from the Canadian Press Noting Ontario has signed deals with 10 provinces and territories to eliminate interprovincial trade barriers — most recently, British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut on Monday afternoon — Premier Doug Ford says he is confident his province can reach agreements with Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador. Prime Minister Mark Carney has been pushing the provinces and territories to have 'one economy not 13' because of the threat to Canada's economy from U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war . Canadian officials estimate an additional $200 billion a year could be generated for the economy if internal barriers to trade are removed. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, facing a scandal with her province's health authority, sure does not like getting media questions about the online harassment of a Globe and Mail reporter who has been investigating the story. While Smith brusquely condemned the anonymous social media account that was posting photos of the journalist meeting with two former political staffers on Monday, the normally media-friendly premier was visibly ticked off when asked about the episode Tuesday. 'I have no further comment on it,' she said curtly. It's apparently one big happy family in Muskoka as the first ministers meet . Prime Minister Mark Carney and the premiers feted British Columbia's David Eby on Monday night at Doug Ford's cottage . It was Eby's 49th birthday so Ford arranged for a cake and candles for the B.C. premier . (Prior to dessert, they ate steak, chicken, potatoes, seasonal vegetables and salad at Casa Ford . ) Premier Doug Ford's bromance with Prime Minister Carney continues. In an enthusiastic speech, Ford commended Carney for his work with premiers and called him a 'brilliant businessman' bringing a new focus to Ottawa. In his speech Prime Minister Carney name checked Premiers Doug Ford and Danielle Smith as a few of the premiers who are reaching the 'flurry' of inter-provincial agreements, calling these moves a significant step forward for Canada's national economy. The political charm theme continued this morning as Prime Minister Carney was spotted laughing with premiers, including New Brunswick's Susan Holt, whose election last November, gave her a shared newcomer status in leadership with the Carney. Quebec Premier Francois Legault headed into the meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney sharing this thought about a new trade pact with the United States: 'It's very important to have a long-term deal in order to have more certainty.' Not everyone is happy that Ontario has signed a deal with Alberta and Saskatchewan to promote pipelines. Ontario Green Leader Mike Schreiner said he's 'deeply disappointed to see Premier Ford ignoring the $2.2 trillion of investment pouring into renewable energy this year and pushing ahead with what amounts to a taxpayer-funded handout to oil and gas companies.' Schreiner warned Tuesday such schemes 'will only waste taxpayer dollars and accelerate climate change.' Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston says provincial and territorial leaders are united right now behind Prime Minister Mark Carney as he deals with U.S. President Donald Trump. 'It's a difficult position for our prime minister,' said Houston, pointing to Trump's mercurial nature. Several dozen protesters from the Ontario Health Coalition and other groups gather near Deerhurst Resort to condemn Doug Ford's policies. Several dozen protesters from the Ontario Health Coalition and other groups have gathered across the road from Deerhurst Resort to blast what they call Premier Doug Ford's increasing 'privatization' of health care and take shots at his Bill 5, fast-tracking mines and other infrastructure development, for overriding environmental and Indigenous treaty protections. Prime Minister Mark Carney was lobbied on the need for bail reform by British Columbia Premier David Eby. Eby handed Carney a letter from the family of Bailey McCourt, who was murdered on July 4. Her estranged ex-husband had been convicted earlier that same day of uttering threats and assault by strangling. He was out on $500 bail when he was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Eby said Carney is listening to the premiers on the need for bail reform. 'This is about building this country,' Prime Minister Mark Carney says of his 'positive' meeting with the premiers. Carney jumped at Premier Doug Ford's invitation to attend the Council of the Federation meeting at the Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville even though the first ministers had just met last month in Saskatoon. 'Canadians are fundamentally positive people,' he said, noting Canadians 'are making a choice' to travel within the country and to buy locally made products. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, back centre, and Ontario Premier Doug Ford, right. In his closing press scrum after the first ministers' meeting, Prime Minister Mark Carney tells reporters that Indigenous participation is crucial for the projects of national interest. Carney's Bill C-5, like Premier Doug Ford's Bill 5, are sparked concern among some First Nations about their long-held treaty rights and the potential for environmental damage caused by pipelines, mines, rail links and roads. Premier Mark Carney, touting 'united group' of first ministers, said he briefed the premiers on the trade ongoing negotiations with the Trump White House, but he stressed the discussion focused more on what Canada can do for itself. This means reducing internal trade barriers and moving forward with projects in the national interest. Carney concedes these 'are complex negotiations' but is noncommittal about the Aug. 1 deadline imposed by Trump. 'In terms of the possibilities, we'll see,' said Carney against the backdrop of Peninsula Lake in Huntsville. Now that Prime Minister Mark Carney has concluded his meeting with the premiers, the Council of the Federation conference is officially under way. The premiers are huddling with former Canadian ambassadors to the U.S. David MacNaughton and Gary Doer. They are advising the premiers on strategies for coping with the Trump tariffs and for keeping relations positive with state governors, almost all of whom, Republican and Democrat, oppose the levies that are making things more expensive for American consumers. The United States Chamber of Commerce, the world's largest business organization, has long opposed tariffs on Canadian goods for that very reason. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a 'Make America Wealthy Again' trade announcement event in the Rose Garden at the White House on April 2, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Donald Trump's tariff ultimatums move around a lot, earning him the hated nickname TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out). His latest deadline is to reach trade 'deals' (actually, non-binding memoranda, not conventional treaties) with more than 100 countries , including Canada, by Aug. 1. Whether he sticks to that timeline or not, our federal government is already preparing Canadians to accept a deal that does not remove Trump's tariffs on Canada. Those tariffs currently target autos, steel, aluminum, and copper, as well as a threatened across-the-board 35 per cent tariff on everything else. That would be worse for Canada than not reaching a deal at all. Any agreement that preserves Trump's illegal tariffs would lock Canada into a subservient role for many years to come. And there's no assurance that Trump would even live up to his end (given his regular violations of more comprehensive binding deals, like the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement). Perhaps there's no immediate way to stop Trump from continuing down this path. Canada's previous concessions (on border security, defence spending, and rescinding the Digital Services Tax ) made no difference. Of course, lower higher tariffs are better than higher tariffs, and the federal government may try to convince Canadians to accept an imperfect deal on this basis. It's possible the average tariff on Canadian products under an Aug. 1 deal would be incrementally lower than those being paid by other countries — including those that have already reached 'deals,' like China (47 per cent), Indonesia (19 per cent), or the U.K. (10 per cent). This glass-half-full logic is dangerous, however. It's not just the average tariff rate that determines how much damage will result from Trump's attacks. The size and composition of trade also matters. After all, the very structure of our economy has been shaped by a generation of tariff-free trade within North America. As a result, Canada is more dependent on exports to the U.S. than almost any other economy. Our U.S.-bound exports equal more than 25 per cent of total GDP. That means even a seemingly lower effective tariff rate will cause far more damage to Canada than faced by almost any other country. (Only Mexico is in the same boat.) Prime Minister Mark Carney updated the premiers on the state of trade negotiations with the U.S. as they met Tuesday in Ontario's cottage country. By my estimates, U.S. tariffs under a Trump 'deal' would be equivalent to two to three per cent of Canadian GDP — several times more than other major trading partners (including China and the EU). Their economies are much less exposed to disruptions in exports to the U.S. For them, even a higher tariff rate won't cause remotely the same damage. So trying to portray a deal with continued tariffs as some kind of 'victory' for Canada, because the stated tariff may seem lower than other countries, is dangerously wishful. On top of that, accepting a bad deal has other consequences. It would unilaterally disarm Canada's ability to respond to U.S. actions with counter-tariffs or nontariff measures. It would cement U.S. tariffs as a 'new normal' — and thus unleash a flood of capital away from Canada, as firms give up hope that Trump's tariffs are just a temporary bargaining ploy. It would sabotage nascent efforts with other countries to build a co-ordinated global response to Trump, by surrendering before a united front can take shape. It would also squander the potential of growing political, economic, and financial turmoil in America to finally stay Trump's hand. This is the most vulnerable moment of his presidency. He faces protests over health-care cuts, immigration raids, and Jeffrey Epstein . Giving him a big trade win now would buttress his authority at home — but for Canada would constitute an own goal of historic proportions. We all wish Trump's trade war could be defused through friendly negotiation. It's not going to happen. But even if tariffs are inevitable in the short run, our ability to resist and survive them in the long run is undermined if we codify those attacks in the form of a lopsided, damaging 'deal.' A bad deal with Trump is worse than no deal. Canadians know that standing up to our suddenly-hostile neighbour is daunting. But voters affirmed their readiness for that challenge just months ago. The federal government needs to take confidence from Canadians' capacity to fight for a sovereign economy — and ratify that courage by rejecting Trump's ultimatums and continuing to strive for something better. Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Quebec Premier François Legault speak with reporters as a three-day meeting of the Council of the Federation continues. Quebec Premier François Legault thanks Premier Doug Ford for hosting them all Monday night at his cottage south of Huntsville and on Sunday night at Posticino, an Italian trattoria on the Queensway in Etobicoke near his home. Ford said Legault, a successful businessman who ran Air Transat, is who he turns to for analyzing numbers because 'he's an accountant.' Legault said Quebec is hoping Prime Minister Mark Carney can get the best deal possible for Canada, but he stressed any new agreement with the U.S. 'must protect supply management.' There are concerns in some quarters because Trump often tweets about protectionist dairy policy in Canada. Ford adds that 'Donald Trump is very hard to deal with.' Ontario Premier Doug Ford speaks to the media after signing a memorandum of understanding with Alberta and Saskatchewan Tuesday. Premier Doug Ford says the message from the prime minister, business leaders and Indigenous groups is the same: 'we need to get moving.' Ford told reporters in Huntsville that Trump has done Canada a solid by forcing Canadians to look to each other for solutions to our economic challenges instead of relying upon the U.S. 'We're all standing united right now,' the Ontarian said. Quebec Premier Francois Legault, left, walks with his staff members during the meeting of Canada's premiers at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville, Ont., on Monday. Quebec Premier François Legault sounds dubious about Canada reaching a deal by Trump's Aug. 1 deadline. Legault wryly points out that business doesn't like 'uncertainty' and the U.S. president is constantly changing his mind. Ontario Premier Doug Ford, right, speaks as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney listens as they address the premiers of Canada during the 2025 summer meetings of Canada's Premiers at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville, Ont., on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette Premier Doug Ford says Prime Minister Mark Carney slept over at his cottage last night after the dinner with the premiers. Ford says he and Carney stayed up talking by the fire till 12:30 am. The Star has previously reported that Carney secretly visited Ford at his Etobicoke home during the April federal election campaign to strategize about dealing with President Donald Trump's tariffs against Canada. New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt speaks to media following the first ministers meeting in Saskatoon, Sask., on, June 2. New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt says the premiers have encouraged Prime Minister Mark Carney 'not to get a deal at all costs' by Trump's Aug. 1 deadline. Holt said a good deal is more important than a quick deal. B.C. Premier David Eby, left speaks as Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew listens during a B.C. NDP campaign event in Vancouver, B.C., Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. HUNTSVILLE, Ont. — British Columbia has signed two more internal trade agreements with other Canadian jurisdictions to boost trade and labour mobility, a day after a similar deal with Ontario was announced. B.C. Premier David Eby says in a statement that the province has signed separate deals with Manitoba and Yukon, agreeing to work 'to remove trade barriers between provinces and territories.' The statement says the deal signed with Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew includes measures to increase the mobility of regulated workers and professionals between the two provinces, and allowing direct alcohol sales from Manitoba to B.C. consumers. B.C. alcoholic beverages can already be sold directly to consumers in Manitoba. The Yukon agreement signed with Premier Mike Pemberton focuses on the removal of trade barriers as well as the alignment of standards for regulated occupations. The deal between B.C. and Yukon is in addition to a memorandum in May that the two jurisdictions will co-operate on possibly connecting their power grids. 'With these trade agreements, we're making it easier to buy and sell our great Canadian products to our fellow Canadian neighbours,' Eby says in the statement. 'This is another important step toward building a stronger economy here at home — one that's less reliant on the U.S and works better for people.' The deals were signed at the premiers' meeting in Huntsville, Ont., where B.C.'s agreement with Ontario was made public Monday. Ontario also announced agreements with Nunavut, Yukon and the Northwest Territories, which Premier Doug Ford said when combined with the B.C. deal would help Canada unlock roughly $200 billion in economic potential. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, right, greets Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, left, as Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston looks on, during the 2025 summer meetings of Canada's Premiers at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville, Ont., on Tuesday. Speaking to CBC's David Cochrane on Power and Politics, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says 'a bad deal for Canada would be worse' than no deal. Kinew, echoing other premiers, warns against racing toward 'capitulation.' He tells Cochrane: 'What's the rush? Prime Minister Mark Carney addresses the premiers during the 2025 summer meetings of the Council of the Federation at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville, Ont., on Tuesday. HUNTSVILLE, Ont. — Dampening expectations of a U.S. trade pact by President Donald Trump's Aug. 1 deadline, Prime Minister Mark Carney says it's time for Canada to look to other countries for opportunities. 'We're working positively for a deal. We'll take stock if there isn't one that works,' he said Tuesday after a three-hour meeting with provincial premiers at their annual Council of the Federation conference, where first ministers are plotting their next moves amid dwindling hopes of averting broader Trump tariffs. 'But they're complex negotiations, and we use all the time that's necessary,' he added on a hot, sunny patio at Deerhurst Resort after briefing provincial leaders on the status of talks. 'We will agree (on) a deal if there's one on the table that is in the best interests of Canadians, just as the United States will look for the best interests of the U.S.' Given Trump's unpredictability — a factor many premiers, including Doug Ford , repeatedly mention — Carney said other nations are eager to boost their business with Canada. 'Our phone is ringing off the hook from other countries who want to do more. I've had over 80 bilaterals (meetings) with foreign leaders since I became prime minister,' he told reporters. 'A number of premiers have been on major trade missions … We're going to focus more and more of our time on those positive aspects.' Donald Trump has the premiers on Mark Carney's side as Canada braces for the worst Ford, who chairs the council of premiers, was tight-lipped when asked for details from Carney's presentation behind closed doors. It followed a long chat the two had Monday night in front of the fireplace at Ford's cottage near Huntsville, where the prime minister slept following a dinner of grilled steak and chicken with the premiers. 'I don't want to jeopardize the negotiations … but, again, if I can say this, Donald Trump is very, very hard to deal with just because he's so fluid,' Ford said. 'It's constantly moving with him.' New Brunswick's Susan Holt said the premiers encouraged Carney 'not to make a deal at all costs' and to strategically use 'exposure points' the provinces have flagged for Canadian negotiators to improve their prospects — such as the fact her province supplies much of the jet fuel used by the American military on the eastern seaboard. 'We're seeing the U.S. react to some of Canada's decisions. They've reacted very sensitively to the fact that Canadians aren't travelling in their country right now,' Holt said, pointing to recent complaints from U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra that this is a reason Trump feels Canada is 'nasty.' 'They're reacting to the fact that we don't have their booze on their shelves, and they're irritated,' she added. 'We need that irritation to get bigger and louder.' Carney is also turning the federal government's attention to infrastructure projects of national interest, with an office to evaluate proposals from the provinces to be set up in September. Ideas that benefit entire regions or the whole country will take precedence. 'We will be focusing on initiatives that are within our own control for the benefit of Canadians,' the prime minister said, citing as one example a proposal for more 'linkages' of British Columbia's electricity grid with the Yukon and Northwest Territories to open up mining of critical minerals, which can also benefit Alberta. Competition is fierce, said Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, who is pushing a massive offshore wind energy project. 'There's lots of potential projects and good, good ones,' he added. 'Everyone is waiting for the major projects office to open.' While Ford is advocating 'dollar for dollar, tariff for tariff' retaliation if Trump imposes more levies, Carney suggested he's taking a wait-and-see approach while Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Saskatchewan's Scott Moe have advised against such reprisals. 'Everything's on the table,' Ford maintained, including a return of the tax he briefly placed on electricity exports to Michigan, New York and Minnesota months ago — which had quickly caught the attention of Trump and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. 'You don't want to trigger a complete (trade) war. But the only thing, I believe, with President Trump and Secretary Lutnick that I've seen, you have to be tough. If you're weak, they will run us over.' 'We'll see how this deal goes,' Ford added, referring to the trade negotiations. The premiers' meeting with Carney included a briefing from two former Canadian ambassadors to the U.S., David McNaughton and Gary Doer, over a working lunch. Earlier in the day, Ford welcomed Moe into a memorandum of understanding with Ontario and Alberta to build new pipelines, rail lines and other energy infrastructure to move oil and critical minerals east and west. Ford said such projects will be essential if the trade dispute with Trump interferes with the existing Line 5 pipeline that brings oil from the west to Ontario through Michigan, but Green Leader Mike Schreiner took issue with that. 'Instead of using this time with the premiers to discuss real solutions to an escalating trade-war and affordability crisis, he is wasting time peddling projects that will only waste taxpayer dollars and accelerate climate change,' Schreiner said. B.C. Premier David Eby answers questions during a press conference following a cabinet swearing-in ceremony at Government House in Victoria on July 17. Most Canadians would be 'proud' to be considered mean and 'nasty' for standing up for their sovereignty and economy in the face of threats from U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, British Columbia Premier David Eby said Tuesday. But he said Americans are friends, colleagues and family members, and B.C. has worked in close partnership with states in the U.S. Pacific Northwest for many years, spurring economic growth and other benefits on both sides of the border. Eby's remarks at a premiers' gathering in Huntsville, Ont., came the day after the U.S. Ambassador to Canada said bans on American alcohol and Canadians avoiding U.S. travel are among the reasons Trump thinks they are 'nasty' to deal with. Read more from The Canadian Press A map of the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline route through the United States and Ontario. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says a new East-West pipeline is necessary as a 'back-up plan' if Michigan follows through on its long-threatened plan to stop Enbridge Line 5 from going through the state due to concerns about spillage and environmental damage. Smith tells CBC's David Cochrane on Power and Politics than Canada needs to lessen its reliance on the United States in getting its oil and gas to market. Line 5 runs about 1,000 km from Superior, Wisconsin to Sarnia, Ontario via Michigan. Prime Minister Mark Carney, right, greets Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, left, as Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston looks on, during the 2025 summer meetings of Canada's premiers at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville, Ont., on Tuesday. HUNTSVILLE, Ont. — When in doubt, manage expectations. Manage the premiers. Manage the media. Manage the country. Delivering a confidential update to the premiers at their summit in Muskoka, Mark Carney gave a master class in how the prime minister's job comes in two parts. Part I is trade negotiator in chief. Part II is manager at large of the country's great expectations. Unsurprisingly, Carney is struggling with Part I. Bargaining began with the prime minister declaring Canada's grandiose goals, yet mind control is not as easy as it looks when trying to bend Donald Trump to his will. Negotiations are not going according to plan. Which is why Part II is also part of the plan. With talks in the home-stretch, Canada's stretch goals look increasingly far-fetched as the goalposts keep moving. Hence the prime ministerial imperative to lower expectations at home, starting with the 13 premiers closeted with him at a posh lakeside resort Tuesday. New tariffs are inevitable as Canada and the world adjust to the unavoidable reality of Trump's world view, Carney explained. The premiers get it, having heard it from the prime minister's mouth. Now they are spreading the word. In an unprecedented display of unity and solidarity, the first ministers are all singing from the same spreadsheet. They can see the terms of trade but also the trade-offs, the risks as well as the rewards. Full credit to Trump for getting them all onside — on Carney's side — as Canada braces for the worst. Led by Doug Ford, the premiers heaped praise on the prime ministerial skill set. With Quebec's oft-cantankerous François Legault beside him nodding in agreement, Ontario's premier catalogued Carney's achievements while praising his listening ability and humility. 'He's an honest man, he just wants the best for Canada,' Ford enthused. 'He is humble, he listens, he's a smart businessman.' Premier after premier echoed Ford's words, declaring their fidelity to the federal negotiating strategy and the prime ministerial tactics. 'I have tremendous confidence in the prime minister and his team,' exulted Nova Scotia's Tim Huston. 'We're all binding together and spending time together.' Indeed, they have bonded beyond expectations. Monday night, after a barbecue hosted by Ford at his nearby cottage, Carney stayed over for the night — and talked long into the night, well after the other first ministers had returned to their rooms at the Deerhurst Resort. The upshot is that this is Canada's best shot to clean up its own house, that we may now be masters in their own house — maître chez nous, as Carney so often says in French to Quebec audiences, borrowing from a stock nationalist phrase connoting self-reliance. And so after receiving a vote of confidence from the premiers, Carney proceeded to praise their own willingness to dismantle domestic trade barriers as a way of reducing dependence on American markets. 'We are masters in our own home, and we can control our own economic destiny,' Carney told a news conference before flying back to Ottawa, leaving the premiers to sit down for their annual summit. 'Now we are starting to look at projects of national interest, and that will include a process with the Indigenous Peoples … when it comes to creating a single Canadian economy instead of 13.' But a single Canadian economy will still be comprised of its parts — 10 provincial and three territorial — in which every politician is destined to remain territorial about where the benefits flow. Projects of national importance will be given priority, but how to define the national interest? That's a question that Carney, as prime minister of the entire country, will have to resolve as rival premiers put forward pet projects. Ford put his best foot forward Tuesday, arguing that Ontario produces steel and other products that would be a good fit for the national economy. But he stressed that the criteria for worthy national projects should be truly national benefits. Standing by Ford's side, Quebec's Legault was uncharacteristically circumspect at the microphone, saying that question was best put to the prime minister. His silence was strictly diplomatic, in deference to the warm words uttered by Ford about the history of the Quebec-Ontario relationship and their own strong personal friendship. A more candid Legault might have retreated to his recurring demand that federal decisions redound to his province's benefit and defer to Quebec's jurisdictional aspirations. That Legault held his tongue, mindful of his Ontario host, was perhaps a sign of the times and a signpost for Canada's future direction in a time of American animus. The prime minister, for his part, made the most of the Canadian amity on display in Muskoka. Asked whether the competition for federal funding 'could divide the country,' Carney offered a contrarian view. 'It's the contrary. For the projects to be of interest, to be of national interest, (they) have to benefit multiple stakeholders, multiple provinces, Indigenous people, also move us towards our climate objectives.' As the U.S. closes in on Canada, can Carney square the circle? Part I — renegotiating a trade entente — is the hard part. Part II — managing expectations (and exhorting collaboration) — is well underway.
