Premiers to meet with Indigenous groups on first day of three-day Ontario gathering
The premiers are gathering at Deerhurst Resort in Ontario's cottage country and trade and tariffs are expected to be the main topics, particularly when they meet Tuesday with Prime Minister Mark Carney.
But first they are set to have discussions with leaders from the Assembly of First Nations, the Métis National Council and the Native Women's Association of Canada, among other Indigenous groups.
That meeting comes as Indigenous communities have expressed concerns with federal and provincial laws meant to fast-track major infrastructure projects as a way to stimulate the economy facing tariff impacts.
The federal law known as Bill C-5 allows cabinet to quickly grant federal approvals for big projects deemed to be in the national interest by sidestepping existing laws, while Ontario's Bill C-5 allows its cabinet to suspend provincial and municipal laws through the creation of so-called 'special economic zones.'
Nine Ontario First Nations have filed a court challenge to the laws and are concerned there will not be meaningful consultation with them.
Carney hosted a meeting with hundreds of First Nations chiefs last week and while some chiefs walked out saying they saw an insufficient response to concerns they'd been raising for weeks, others left the meeting 'cautiously optimistic.'
Ford has said that over the course of the meeting this week, the premiers will also talk about emergency management, energy security, sovereignty and national security, health, and public safety.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 21, 2025.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
3 hours ago
- Business Insider
Open AI's GPT-5 Launch Is Just Days Away, Claims Report
Artificial Intelligence pioneer OpenAI is set to launch its ground-breaking new GPT-5 model in the next few weeks. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Powerful System According to a report in The Verge, OpenAI's chief executive Sam Altman, below, plans to launch the model early next month. The model, which is understood to combine OpenAI's o-series and GPT-series into a single, powerful system, was expected to be launched this summer. It is understood that the delay was due to the need for additional testing. The new model will reportedly be 'positioned as an AI system that incorporates distinct models and can perform different functions as opposed to just a single AI model.' The Microsoft (MSFT) -backed startup did not comment, although as reported by TipRanks earlier this year the company is keen to simplify its offerings. Altman has said that this isn't just about making an AI that can handle more tasks; it's about creating one that thinks more deeply before it responds. This means we can expect future versions to not only be more efficient but also to offer richer, more thoughtful interactions. Reasoning Skills In addition, GPT-5 is more than just a simple update. It brings in the reasoning skills from the o-series, particularly the o3 model, which means it's going to be smarter and more aware of the context it's working in. This should help cut down on errors and boost performance. The essence of the system is that it should be a smarter version of what we have seen before and make it easier and more useful for users from employees to students or ordinary folk. In fact, Altman wants to make a free copy of GPT-5 available to everybody. 'I am very interested in what it means to give everybody on Earth a free copy of GPT-5, running for them all the time,' he said. But let's not get too carried away. The Verge report did have some caveats. 'While GPT-5 looks likely to debut in early August, OpenAI's planned release dates often shift to respond to development challenges, server capacity issues, or even rival AI model announcements and leaks,' the report said. TipRanks comparison tool.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Carney calls Israel denying humanitarian aid in Gaza 'violation of international law'
Prime Minister Mark Carney has called Israel's denial of humanitarian aid in Gaza a violation of international law. In a news statement on Thursday, he pressed for Israel's control of aid distribution to be replaced amid reports of mass starvation in Gaza. His statement comes hours after French President Emmanuel Macron announced on X that he intends for his country to recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September. "Israel's control of aid distribution must be replaced by comprehensive provision of humanitarian assistance led by international organizations," Carney said in a media statement Thursday evening. "Many of these are holding significant Canadian-funded aid which has been blocked from delivery to starving civilians." "This denial of humanitarian aid is a violation of international law," he said. Carney reiterated that Canada supports a two-state solution "which guarantees peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians." Israel condemned Macron's announcement made on X, in which he shared a letter sent to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas confirming France's intention to press ahead and work to convince other partners to follow suit. "True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine," Macron said. "I will make this solemn announcement at the United Nations General Assembly next September." Joint statement calls Gaza aid distribution 'dangerous' Earlier on Thursday, federal Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said that she would attend a two-state solution conference in New York City, where she will meet with her French counterparts to discuss Macron's decision. "We need to ensure that Hamas lays down its arms and does not participate in any way in the governance of an eventual two-state solution," she said, noting that ensuring that humanitarian aid flows and that hostages are released are important for Canadians. Anand and 24 of her counterparts abroad signed a joint statement on Monday, calling Israel's aid distribution system "dangerous" and asserting that "the war in Gaza must end now." The signatories, including foreign ministers of France, Japan and the U.K. and the European Union commissioner for equality, preparedness and crisis management, said it's "horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid." The death toll cited is based on figures released by the UN Human Rights Office. In their statement, the ministers also condemned Hamas for continuing to hold Israeli hostages captured in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack and called for their immediate release.
Hamilton Spectator
7 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Premiers praise Carney and one another as they wrap up meetings in Ontario
HUNTSVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA - Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe wrapped three days of meetings with his fellow premiers and Prime Minister Mark Carney Wednesday with a message he admitted he wouldn't have sent over the past decade. 'We can be proud of the work our federal government is doing, in fairness,' Moe said. Moe has been one of the federal Liberal government's most vocal critics in recent years — and criticism of Ottawa is usually guaranteed when provincial leaders gather. But as the country faces down U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war, the elbows-up, Team Canada approach seems to be winning out under Carney's government. Ontario Premier Doug Ford praised the prime minister at every opportunity Wednesday, calling him a gentleman, humble and a brilliant businessman. The premiers joked around, slapped each others' backs and dined at Ford's cottage this week. Carney slept at the cottage on Monday before joining the Council of the Federation meetings in Huntsville, Ont., on Tuesday for a discussion about trade talks with the U.S. Premiers revealed little of what they learned in those discussions, with Aug. 1 fast approaching. That's the deadline Trump has set to raise tariffs on some Canadian goods to 35 per cent, and the day by which Carney has said he wants to strike a deal with the U.S. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said the Americans are signalling they will not start renegotiating the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade until 2026, something she called disappointing. But Smith said Canada is working toward deals on specific sectors Trump is targeting, like vehicles, steel and aluminum, and lumber. 'If we can come up with some kind of common arrangement on those issues, those sectoral agreements by Aug. 1, we'll look at that as a win. And if it takes a little bit longer to renegotiate the Canada-U.S. free trade agreement to make sure that we get it right, then I'm supportive of that,' Smith said. The prime minister and the premiers downplayed the value 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 and territories have signed agreements to open up internal trade, while others have committed to building pipelines to get oil and gas to new markets. 'No other group of premiers, as long as I can ever remember, have been able to sign 11 (memorandums of understanding),' said Ford, who is this year's chair of the Council of the Federation. The premiers did release a list of things they said they want Ottawa to address. In a statement issued Wednesday, they called on the federal government to improve Canada's trading relationship with China. 'You know what Churchill said, our enemy of our enemy is our friend, and I don't consider Americans the enemy, but right now President Trump himself is acting like the enemy,' Ford said. The friction dates back to last fall, when Canada imposed a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese electric vehicles — matching a move by the Biden administration in the U.S. — and levies on a range of other goods, including EV batteries and parts, critical minerals, solar panels and semiconductors. China hit back with 100 per cent tariffs on imports of Canadian canola oil and meal, and a 25 per cent levy on some pork, fish and seafood products. 'As long as China plays fair and doesn't undercut our markets, be it the auto sector or any sector, I have no problem dealing with them because we're already dealing with them,' Ford said, pointing out that Ontario imports about $40 billion worth of Chinese goods and exports back about $3 billion. The premiers say they want the federal government to work toward removing Chinese tariffs from Canadian canola, peas, pork and seafood. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said that while the relationship with China is complicated, the two countries must talk to each other. 'We have to have engagement,' he said. 'We can't turn away from the rest of the world, especially given what's going on with Mr. Trump.' New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt said she's happy that Canada and China are now in active talks toward a trade deal. 'Given that we're now negotiating a completely new relationship with the U.S., we can get back to the table with China to work to remove the seafood tariffs that New Brunswickers are experiencing,' she said. Moe and Ford said they are worried about steelworkers in their respective provinces, with three major steel plants feeling the brunt of U.S. tariffs on steel and concerns about China dumping steel into the market through proxy countries. The federal government announced protectionist and anti-dumping measures targeting Chinese-made steel last week. The premiers are also asking the federal government for changes to the bail system and more money for health care. B.C. Premier David Eby insisted health care and the cost of living are perennial priorities for provincial governments, even though health didn't come up at the meeting with Carney. 'We have to be able to do multiple things at once in this country,' he said. The premiers called for more action on immigration and said they're looking at ways to exercise more authority over that file. Ford said Smith told her fellow premiers that Section 95 of the Constitution allows provinces to pass legislation related to immigration. He said nearly 100,000 asylum seekers came to Ontario alone last year, and while many people want to work, it can take years for them to obtain work permits. 'We will be issuing our own work permits,' Ford said. — Written by Liam Casey in Huntsville, Ont., and Sarah Ritchie in Ottawa with files from Hina Alam in Fredericton This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2025.
