The leaders of Canada’s provinces began a three-day meeting in Ontario’s cottage country on Monday. The premiers focused their first day of talks on how to boost the Canadian economy and break down trade barriers. The provincial leaders are hoping to come out of the meeting with a united front.
The discussions by the premiers build on previous talks and agreements that have been ongoing for several months, breaking down internal trade barriers between the provinces to create one united economy. Here’s Ontario Premier Doug Ford.
“We need to get rid of the regulations that are taking fifteen years to get critical minerals out of the ground,” Ford said. “We can be an economic powerhouse around the world, we have to unleash Canada, unleash Canadian industry, resources.”
Ford, who is hosting the gathering, said there may be a few different views, but his colleagues should leave the meeting as representatives of a strong, solid country. And then push back against the intensifying tariffs from Washington. Ford also renewed the call for a buy Canadian approach as one way of getting the US to feel the economic pain.
“We’re encouraging all provinces and territories to start buying Canadian-made vehicles. Start buying Canadian-made everything. That will hurt them more than anything at all,” Ford said. “We’re their number one customer. We do more trade with them. Or actually, we buy more products from the U.S. than Japan, China, Korea, the UK and France combined. So, we are an economic powerhouse, and we don’t have to take a back seat to anyone.”
The premiers also talked about nation-building projects, a deep-water port, as well as pipelines and other new major energy and infrastructure projects. The federal government is working to have some of those projects approved by early September.
Some First Nations leaders attended some of the discussions, saying it’s time they get a bigger seat at the table. Today, Prime Minister Mark Carney will join the premiers with an update on trade negotiations with Washington and talk strategy with them.
