Tuesday July 22, 2025 | HUNTSVILLE, ON [Reporting from VICTORIA, BC]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Also see: Canada’s Premiers on building a stronger more secure economy
Prime Minister Mark Carney held a First Ministers Meeting on top of the Council of the Federation Canada’s Premiers meeting in Huntsville, Ontario today.
This is a united group of first ministers, a group focused on building our country, building positively, building here at home, building one Canadian economy, building projects from coast to coast to coast, and developing new trade relations around the world.
“We had a good discussion about ongoing negotiations with the United States. The large part of our exchange is concentrated on what we can control and how we can move forward,” said Carney in a media availability today.
Talk of a deal by August 1:
A deal by August 1 is the scenario that is out there. Carney told media today that he will make a deal that is “in the best interest of Canadians”.
The prime minister says that in the wake of recently easily letting go of the Digital Services Tax (DST) which would have brought in billions of dollars in tax revenue from sales by tech giants to Canadians.
“We will agree with a deal if there’s one on the table that is in the best interest of Canadians, just as the United States will do for the best interest of the US,” said Carney.
“There has been a series of discussions,” said Carney. Some Canadian ministers have been in Washington, including Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy, Dominic Leblanc, who will be in Washington for the balance of this week as will Carney’s chief of staff and other officials.
“They’re complex negotiations and we’ll use all the time that’s necessary and (agree to) something that’s in the interest of Canadians, if that’s available.”
What is a good deal:
Carney points out that until recently trade between Canada and the US has been tariff free. There are many integrated sectors including automobile manufacturing, steel production and the energy sector.
“A good deal is something that preserves, reinforces and stabilizes those relationships as much as possible,” Carney outlined.
He also said that a good deal is one that “doesn’t tie our hands in terms of other things so we can pursue that positive agenda that we focus so much of our time on”.
“We have a lot to do in this country,” said Carney. He said “our phone is ringing off the hook from other countries that want to do more with Canada”. He’s had over 80 bilaterals with world leaders and he points out that several of Canada’s premiers have been on major trade missions.
Premiers on a good deal:
“It’s not about getting a deal at all costs, but to get the best deal for Canadians,” said New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt today.
Retaliatory tariffs should be used if the US continues to apply tariffs, is the approach that Ontario premier Doug Ford put forward today.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston warns that there can be ramifications for a harsh stance and advises careful moves.
Canada / US:
“Canadians are fundamentally positive people,” says Carney, in the general overall context about the tone of negotiations and what Canada wants.
But Ontario Premier Doug Ford said about Trump and the United States: “He doesn’t understand or appreciate weakness.”
“We’re his number one customer,” said Doug Ford about the US buying from Canada. Hit him back as much as we possibly can. “But we need to start on-shoring as much as we possibly can,” he said, in particular about the steel sector.
“We don’t have to take a back seat to anone in the world. We sure don’t have to take a back seat to President Trump,” said Ford.
Moving forward with big projects:
The approach is to see which are the best projects in the national interest for Canadians, the prime minister outlined in French.
There are several projects that involve several provinces. Carney outlined, for example, that connections between the electrical grids of BC, Alberta, Yukon and the Northwest Territories could open up opportunities for other projects including critical minerals and economic opportunities.
He also mentioned Windwest — an offshore wind energy project proposed for the southwestern region of Nova Scotia, with implications for the broader Atlantic Canadian region with NS and PEI for the benefit of all the Atlantic provinces.
“We have different parts of the country proposing different projects. Projects have to benefit multiple provinces, advance the interests of indigenous peoples and meet climate objectives,” said Carney today.
In a separate press conference, BC Premier David Eby said there is no project in the works for a pipeline from Alberta to northwest BC.
Carney points out that the situation is constantly evolving, especially in the aluminum sector, for example.
Carney hopes the federal government and the premiers can collectively build a stronger economy by “moving from reliance to resilience and from division to unity”.
“We have set time frames,” otherwise “nothing gets done” in politics or business, said Premier Ford to media yesterday.
Shift in attitude:
The prime minister spoke of a shift in attitude of the federal government from ‘why build’ to ‘how to build’. He wants to “begin the process of how we are going to cooperate”. Technology and Canadian workers are part of the mix. All federal impediments to free inter-provincial trade have been removed. said Carney (as done with legislation prior to the House of Commons summer break in June).
“Canadians can be our own best customer,” said Carney.
When it comes to softwood lumber there’s a different timeline for forest products due to an ongoing legal dispute. “We would want a good deal with softwood lumber to be brought in with the other negotiations,” Carney said during his remarks today.
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