Scott Moe arrives at premiers' summit warning some U.S. tariffs are Canada's 'reality'
Carney will attend meeting on Tuesday for update on trade talks with Trump
Canada's premiers arrived in Ontario cottage country on Monday eager to discuss the country's ongoing trade crisis with the United States and settle into a plan for how they can work together with Indigenous leaders to strengthen the country's economy.
On his way into the summit, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said it's becoming obvious Prime Minister Mark Carney's warning that it's unlikely Canada can strike an entirely tariff-free deal with the U.S. is simply "the reality of the situation."
"Exceptions, carve outs, exclusions, exemptions — whatever you might call them, that is the reality: that we won't get to zero on each and every topic," he said.
"The goal is to get as close to zero, on as many items that we possibly can. I know that's the prime minister's goal as well."
Quebec Premier François Legault said that while it may be too early to accept that dour news, any deal needs to provide enough certainty to encourage businesses to invest.
"The ideal situation would be no tariffs. But if there are some, we need to have some assurance that we will keep this agreement for three, five years," he said. "We need to have an economy where companies know what's happening in six months, in 12 months from now."
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is hosting the 13 premiers in Huntsville, Ont., about 220 kilometres north of Toronto, for a three-day summit focused on the tariffs and trade disruption that have come to define Canada's economic relationship with the U.S.
They started the summit on Monday with Indigenous leaders. In the afternoon, they were expected to sign more memorandums of understanding intended to remove barriers to interprovincial trade.
N.L. Premier John Hogan's arrival was delayed because of out-of-control wildfires threatening the town of Musgrave Harbour on Newfoundland's northeast coast.
On Tuesday, Carney will provide the premiers an update on trade negotiations. The prime minister announced his attendance shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened a 35 per cent tariff on Canadian goods that are not compliant with the existing Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement, known as CUSMA.
Carney will be in Muskoka Monday evening, when he will join Ford and the other premiers for a dinner at the Ontario premier's cottage.
Ford was unwilling accept that tariffs were an inevitability before the premiers hear from Carney.
"What I'm glad [about] is the country is united. We may differ on a few views here and there, but we walk out of here united as a county, as a strong, sovereign country."
Ford said if tariffs do remain, Canada needs to start "onshoring everything" by doing things like halting the import of steel for construction and making aluminum cans in Canada instead of exporting raw materials to the U.S. and then importing the finished cans back to Canada.
He said the best response is to "start buying Canadian-made everything. That will hurt them more than anything."
Moe agreed, saying finding new markets and breaking down provincial trade barriers is a better way to respond than using counter-tariffs, which he said are hurting his province.
First Nations and C-5
Canada's premiers will also discuss how to build major projects following the passage of the federal government's Bill C-5, which will allow approvals for projects of national importance to be fast-tracked. Part of that discussion took place Monday when the premiers sat down with Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak.
The law allows cabinet to quickly grant federal approvals for projects such as mines, ports and pipelines by sidestepping existing laws and streamlining the environmental assessment process. Since C-5 became law, some Indigenous groups have expressed concern projects will be pushed through without their consent.
"First Nations are united in that we want prosperity, but not at the expense of our rights," Woodhouse Nepinak said Monday after her meeting with the premiers in Muskoka.
Ford said there are many First Nations in his province that support major projects and he will work with willing groups to get them built. "As far as I'm concerned nothing moves forward … without the green light from the First Nations communities," he said Monday.
Earlier in the day, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said the historical problem with major projects in Canada is that it can take 10 years or more to get them approved.
"I'm supportive of an abridged time frame but I think we have to figure out how that is going to work to make sure that Indigenous communities feel respected," she said.
Woodhouse Nepinak said the attitude among Indigenous groups toward C-5 is split. She argues the law was pushed through Parliament without Indigenous consultation.
"I think that we're all united against Trump's illegal tariffs. That's one thing that's very clear around that table," she said.
"We stand with the premiers of this country in trying to find that path forward, as well as with the federal government," she said. "But they have to make sure that there is space for First Nations people at these tables. We cannot be left as an afterthought anymore."
B.C. Premier David Eby said Woodhouse Nepinak asked the premiers in Huntsville to hold a future first ministers' meeting with Canada's Indigenous leadership and the prime minister in attendance.
"I'm glad that the premiers agreed," she said after the meeting. "It's time now in 2025 that First Nations are at the table and that we have a bigger seat in this country. And one of those paths of course is through a first ministers' meeting."
Ford said Carney will be asked if he is willing to attend.
Breaking down barriers
Since the trade war with the U.S. began, the provinces have begun signing memorandums signalling their intentions to amend their rules and regulations as part of the largest push in modern history to liberalize interprovincial trade.
One study estimates that internal trade hurdles cost the Canadian economy about $200 billion annually, and all provinces have expressed a willingness to work on this issue as a means of countering Trump's tariffs.
Moe described those efforts so far as "positive" and that he was hoping to see discussions around moving forward with "a more expansive agreement" on internal trade.
The premiers are also expected to discuss Arctic security, wildfires and emergency management, labour mobility, immigration, health and public safety.
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With files from Kate McKenna