1) Premiers praise Carney and one another as they wrap up meetings in Ontario

Courtesy Barrie360 and Canadian Press

By Canadian Press, July 23, 3035

The Canadian premiers speak to the media during the 2025 summer meetings of Canada’s Premiers at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville, Ont., on Wednesday, July 23, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette 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

2)Premiers call for improved relationship with China during trade war with the U.S

Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press

By Canadian Press Staff, July 23, 2025.

Canada’s premiers have called on the federal government to improve the country’s relationship with China in the face of the ongoing trade war with the U.S.

With tariffs and constant economic threats from U.S. President Donald Trump, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe and Ontario Premier Doug Ford say the country will need to deal more with China.

The premiers have gathered in Huntsville, Ont., for the third and final day of the Council of the Federation meeting.

“If we’re truly going to move and expand our reliance away from the United States in any way, shape, or form — and I would suggest the only way to do it is on additional products produced, not existing — we’re going to have to deal with China, and so we’re going to need a broader relationship with them,” Moe said.

Both Moe and Ford are worried about steelworkers in their respective provinces, with three major steel plants feeling the brunt of U.S. tariffs on steel, combined with China dumping steel into the market through proxy countries. 

“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.

He said Ontario imports about $40 billion worth of Chinese goods and exports about $3 billion.

“As long as China plays fair and doesn’t undercut our markets, be it the auto sector or any sector,” he said. 

“I have no problem dealing with them because we’re already dealing with them.”

Ford said he still supports the 100 per cent tariffs Canada imposed on Chinese-made electric vehicles last October, matching what the Biden administration had already done in the U.S., as well as 25 per cent tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum.

Later in the fall, Canada imposed tariffs on a range of other Chinese goods, including EV batteries and parts, critical minerals, solar panels and semiconductors.

In response, China imposed 100 per cent tariffs on imports of Canadian canola oil and meal. It also has a 25 per cent levy on some pork, fish and seafood products from Canada.

Last week, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a second round of protectionist and anti-dumping measures in response to the U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum, targeting Chinese-made steel. Canada will raise the tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum imports to 50 per cent and is adding a 25 per cent tariff on steel melted and poured in China, no matter where it comes from.

The premiers said in a statement they’d like the federal government to prioritize work toward the removal of Chinese tariffs on Canadian canola, peas, pork and seafood. 

They are also asking the federal government for changes to the bail system and more money for health care.

The premiers met with Carney on Tuesday to discuss the trade war with the U.S. 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 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 holding a closing press conference this afternoon. 

— Written by Liam Casey in Huntsville, Ont., and Sarah Ritchie in Ottawa

3) Premiers meet with Indigenous groups on first day of three-day Ontario gathering

Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press

By Liam Casey and Allison Jones, July 21, 2025

Canada’s premiers are pledging economic reconciliation with Indigenous people as they head into discussions with First Nations, Métis and Inuit groups at a three-day meeting in cottage country north of Toronto.

The premiers have gathered at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville, Ont., to talk trade and tariffs, 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.

“We think this is a great opportunity for economic reconciliation with First Nations,” Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Monday. 

“We’re going to make sure that they prosper like they’ve never had before and the door is open for them,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford said. 

“They’re welcome to walk through that door and partner with the entire country and partner with Ontario to make their lives more prosperous than they’ve ever seen before. That’s gonna be their choice.”

Smith and Ford said time is tight as the country needs to move fast in the trade war with U.S. President Donald Trump.

But two new laws aimed at stimulating the economy have sparked outrage from many First Nations who want meaningful consultation on major projects in their territories.

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 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.

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.”

Smith said the lengthy regulatory approval process for pipelines and mineral extraction has been a problem and she believes governments can shorten that time frame while also consulting with First Nations.

“I think in this new world that we’re in, we have to figure out a way to get to ‘yes’ faster. It doesn’t mean that there isn’t a robust consultation that has to happen, but it has to happen in a time frame where a proponent is going to know that the answer is yes and how we get there,” she said.

Grand Chief Kyra Wilson of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs has asked the prime minister and Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew to formally include First Nations’ regional representation at Tuesday’s meeting with the premiers and Carney.

“These discussions can’t happen without us. First Nations aren’t just affected by international trade decisions, they are directly involved in the regions, the economies, and the lands these decisions will touch,” Wilson said in a statement. 

“We are governing nations with existing mandates and responsibilities. Ignoring that weakens the response and risks repeating the same mistakes we’ve seen for decades.”

Ford has said that over the course of their meeting this week, the premiers will also talk about emergency management, energy security, sovereignty and national security, health and public safety. 

-with files from Alessia Passafiume in Ottawa

4) (Updated) Mixed reaction from First Nations after premiers’ meeting about major projects

Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press

By Liam Casey and Allison Jones, July 22, 2025

Canada’s premiers pledged economic reconciliation with Indigenous people through major infrastructure and resource projects at their semi-annual meeting that began Monday, though several First Nation leaders said afterward they were disappointed with the discussion.

The premiers gathered at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville, Ont., to talk trade and tariffs, particularly when they meet Tuesday with Prime Minister Mark Carney.  

But first they held a meeting with leaders from First Nations that included the Assembly of First Nations, Anishinabek Nation and the Native Women’s Association of Canada, among other Indigenous groups.

Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak struck a positive tone after the meeting, where the premiers agreed to meet with Indigenous leadership and the prime minister, though First Nations were not invited to the meeting with Carney.

“I consider this progress,” she said. 

“I’m glad the premiers had agreed that we do have to have a couple discussions with each other. They’re not always going to be easy, but it’s so important that we all work together and sit at the same table.”

The meeting comes as Indigenous communities have expressed concerns about federal and provincial laws meant to fast-track major infrastructure projects as a way to stimulate the economy facing tariff impacts.

Both Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Carney are looking to mine the Ring of Fire in northwestern Ontario, which is said to be replete with critical minerals. The prime minister is considering major projects pitched by the premiers and the Ring of Fire is among Ford’s top priorities. But many Ontario First Nations are not on board, saying their concerns are being ignored.

Two new laws aimed at stimulating the economy have sparked outrage from many First Nations that want meaningful consultation on major projects in their territories.

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 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.

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.”

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said the lengthy regulatory approval process for pipelines and mineral extraction has been a problem and she believes governments can shorten that time frame while also consulting with First Nations.

“I think in this new world that we’re in, we have to figure out a way to get to ‘yes’ faster. It doesn’t mean that there isn’t a robust consultation that has to happen, but it has to happen in a time frame where a proponent is going to know that the answer is yes and how we get there,” she said.

“We think this is a great opportunity for economic reconciliation with First Nations.”

Ford said he wants to move fast on big projects, but that stance softened somewhat after the meeting.

“We have 133 First Nations communities, and everyone’s a little different, but the ones that want to be progressive move quick, and we’ll move quick,” he said.

“Ones that want a little more consultation, that’s fine, too. We just want to work together, and everyone’s going to prosper.”

He said the province “can’t move forward without their collaboration and their buy-in.”

Anishinabek First Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige called it a “short meeting” where little was accomplished.

“It was a lost opportunity in not being able to talk about challenges where we can work through those together,” said Debassige, whose organization represents 39 First Nations in northern and southern Ontario.

“It was the provinces sharing the good news stories, but not delving into the conversations we need to have around the challenges we face and look at potential ways for solutions.”

Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler of Nishnawbe Aski Nation said he was “disheartened” by the meeting. He said major issues like the governments’ duty to consult First Nations and treaty rights were not discussed. 

And he was also disappointed that First Nations were not invited to Tuesday’s meeting with the premiers and the prime minister.

“They’re going to be talking about our land, our resources, our rights and we’re not going to be there,” Fiddler said.

The premiers were off to a dinner at Ford’s cottage, where the prime minister was expected to join them.