Prime Minister Mark Carney is in Ontario’s cottage country on Tuesday to meet with Canada’s premiers, providing a critical update on trade negotiations with U.S. President Donald Trump amid rising concerns over potential new tariffs.
Carney arrived in Muskoka Monday evening and joined Ontario Premier Doug Ford at his lakeside cottage, where Ford hosted an informal dinner with the country’s top political leaders.
“There’s going to be a great conversation around the dinner table tonight — everyone kind of lets their hair down,” Ford said ahead of the gathering. “That’s one great thing about all the premiers — we may come from different political stripes, but we’re honest with each other.”
The formal meeting between Carney and the premiers is scheduled for mid-morning Tuesday at Deerhurst Resort. There, the prime minister is expected to outline the state of Canada-U.S. trade talks and discuss contingency plans if President Trump follows through on his threat to impose a 35 per cent tariff as of August 1.
Following the roughly two-hour meeting, Carney will depart, and premiers will continue with a closed-door session.
The provincial leaders will participate in a working lunch featuring insights from former ambassadors before beginning a full session of the Council of the Federation. The agenda is expected to focus heavily on trade and cross-border relations, though updates on Canada’s wildfire situation may also be included.
Later in the evening, Premier Ford will host a reception for premiers and key stakeholders. The lieutenant governor is also scheduled to deliver remarks during the event.
