Carney to brief premiers on U.S. trade discussions as Trump deadline bears down
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Carney is joining the provincial and territorial premiers during their summer gathering in Muskoka, Ont. Carney is expected to offer an opening statement, but most of the meeting on Tuesday is set to happen behind closed doors.
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On Monday, Quebec Premier François Legault said he will tell Carney he wants protection in negotiations for supply management for the dairy, egg and poultry sectors, as well as the exemption for Quebec's cultural industries from free-trade requirements.
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British Columbia Premier David Eby has said he hoped Carney would kick off trade discussions by trying resolve the softwood lumber issue, which has been a trade irritant between Canada and the U.S. for decades.
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Carney recently said he thought it unlikely that there wouldn't be at least some tariffs in any deal struck before Aug. 1, though most of Canada's trade with the U.S. is protected by the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA( that exempts most of the goods and services crossing the border.
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So far, Trump has imposed tariffs of 50 per cent on steel and aluminum; 25 per cent tariffs on goods, automobiles and automobile parts not covered by the CUSMA trade deal; and 10 per cent tariffs on energy. He is now threatening to impose a 35 per cent blanket tariff on Aug. 1
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Canada has so far retaliated with counter tariffs on billions of dollars worth of American exports, but Carney is holding off on further measures pending the result of ongoing negotiations by the end of the month.
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Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said he has 'never been a big proponent of increasing countertariffs' and would rather try to find a way to get the White House to renew CUSMA, which is due to begin its mandated review in 2026. Moe also signalled he is prepared to live with some level of tariffs for the time being.
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'We won't get to zero on each and every topic. The goal is to get as close as zero on as many items that we possibly can. I know that's the prime minister's goal as well,' he said.
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Whatever the outcome of the deal is — tariffs or no tariffs — Legault said he will ask Carney to make sure there is a specific time frame to add more certainty for businesses.
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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 in Fort Smith 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 Thursday, 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.
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