Stage set for Ontario to host major summit of Canada’s leaders

Prime Minister Mark Carney is in Ontario’s cottage country on Tuesday to meet with Canada’s premiers to brief them on trade talks with United States President Donald Trump and the looming threat of more tariffs.

Carney arrived in Muskoka on Monday evening and headed to Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s Muskoka cottage, where the premier hosted the country’s most senior leaders for an intimate dinner.

“There’s going to be a great conversation round the dinner table tonight — everyone kind of lets their hair down,” Ford said, previewing the meal on Monday afternoon. “That’s one great thing about all the premiers, they’re all political different stripes, but we all just tell each other what’s on our mind.”

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Carney is set to meet with the premiers officially at Deerhurst Resort around mid-morning on July 22.

During that meeting, he will brief the provincial leaders on how talks are going with the United States and the plan if Trump follows through with a promise to add 35 per cent tariffs on Aug. 1.

After an approximately two-hour meeting, Carney will depart, and a premiers-only meeting will follow.

The country’s first ministers will take part in a working lunch where they’ll hear from former ambassadors and then launch into a full meeting of the Council of the Federation.

That is expected to be dominated by trade discussions and questions about the United States, although it may also include a wildfire update.

In the evening, Ford will host a reception for premiers and various stakeholders, where the lieutenant governor will also deliver remarks.

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