Premiers entering final day of meetings with public safety, internal trade on agenda

CITYnews halifax / By Liam Casey, The Canadian Press

Canada’s premiers are set to meet for the third and final day of their gathering in Ontario’s cottage country, with internal trade, public safety and health care on the agenda.

The premiers met with Prime Minister Mark Carney in Huntsville, Ont., on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing trade war with U.S. President Donald Trump 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 in trade talks 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 set to hold a closing press conference this afternoon.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2025.

Liam Casey, The Canadian Press