Canada’s premiers have hired a Washington lobby firm at a cost of $85,000 USD a month, an arrangement that came about by a chance encounter with Donald Trump Jr.
Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai says the deal with Checkmate Government Relations LLC happened after he met the president’s son at a North Carolina gathering last year.
At the event, Pillai was introduced to lobbyist Charles F. McDowell IV, a Trump Jr. hunting partner and co-founder of the firm.
The Council of the Federation, which brings together all 13 provincial and territorial leaders, turned to Checkmate in a bid to prevent President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Pillai said they were concerned when former foreign affairs minister Chrystia Freeland unexpectedly stepped down, leaving Canada without its top trade negotiator.
Late last year, the premiers met at an airport hotel near Toronto to strategize what to do to protect Canada from the threat of tariffs.
Soon after, Pillai touched base with Trump Jr., hoping to get insights into the incoming administration’s thinking.
Pillai found a possible link in McDowell, who offered to open doors in Washington.
"At that moment, we all knew that we had to do what we could," Pillai told reporters in Washington D.C. this week.
“This is somebody I think that has maybe an effective ability to deal with the Trump administration or to get the doors open."
This week, the premiers secured meetings with two senior White House officials.
While no promises were made, British Columbia Premier David Eby calls it a “valuable conversation.”
"I think it's really important that we're in these rooms," said Eby.
"This was a meeting on short notice with senior decision-makers."
However, the result was overshadowed by a tweet from deputy chief of staff James Blair, who posted that the session was “pleasant” but joked about Canada becoming the fifty-first state.
"I think Canada is going to be a very serious contender to be our fifty-first state,” Trump told reporters on Thursday.
Pillai said their priority remains not getting into a trade war with the U.S. and dismissed talk of statehood as a distraction.
“We’re focused on preventing tariffs,” said Pillai , adding that any harsh measures would only worsen inflation.
Despite no guarantee of success, Council chair Doug Ford and the other premiers stand by the hefty lobbyist tab.
They argue it’s a necessary investment to protect Canadian interests on the turbulent U.S. stage.