Canada's provincial leaders are preparing for an emergency meeting next week as President Donald Trump threatens to impose new 35% tariffs on Canadian exports.Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced that Prime Minister Mark Carney has agreed to attend an in-person First Ministers Meeting on July 22 in Huntsville, ON. The meeting will take place during the Council of the Federation gathering, where all 13 provincial and territorial premiers will discuss Canada's response to the trade threats."In the face of President Trump’s latest threat, we need to come together," said Ford. "We need a plan on how Canada will respond and how we’ll protect our workers, businesses, and communities.".The emergency meeting happens amid escalating tensions between the two nations regarding their trade policies. .Alberta Premier Danielle Smith cautioned that any potential US tariff increases would have detrimental effects on both nations economies."The threatened increase to U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods would be a tax on the American people," said Smith. "They would also hurt Canadian and American businesses and workers, and damage one of the most important trading and security alliances on earth.".Smith also criticized the federal government's approach to the dispute. She argued that retaliatory tariffs would only adversely affect Canadian consumers and businesses.Smith called for immediate action to strengthen Canada's economic independence. .She urged the federal government to drop what she called "Trudeau-era anti-resource development laws" and approve multiple pipelines, rail expansions, and transmission lines."We need to become an economically stronger and more independent country without further delay or excuse," said Smith. She wants Canada to diversify its export markets to reduce dependence on the US.Premier Scott Moe showed less concern for the economic hit to Saskatchewan's economy due to most goods headed to the US are exempt under the USMCA."While President Trump’s latest tariff threat is concerning, it should not have much impact on Saskatchewan," Moe told the Western Standard."Most Saskatchewan products have remained exempt from tariffs under the USMCA, so if that continues to apply to the latest 35 percent tariff threat, the impact on Saskatchewan should be minimal. That said, all tariffs and trade disputes hurt businesses, workers and consumers on both sides of the border, so we will continue to engage with US officials to encourage free and fair trade with the US, while also continuing to expand Saskatchewan’s export markets around the world."The First Ministers Meeting will be held at the Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville as part of the annual Council of the Federation summer meeting, which runs from July 21-23. Ford is hosting the event as the current chair of the council.The meeting represents a rare moment of unity between federal and provincial leaders across party lines. Both Liberal and Conservative premiers have expressed concern about the potential economic impact of new tariffs on Canadian exports.The trade dispute threatens to disrupt the close economic relationship between Canada and the US, which represents billions of dollars in annual trade between the two countries.
