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Hamilton Spectator
2 hours ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Mark Carney signals ‘the imperative of making Canada an energy superpower' on eve of first ministers' meeting
SASKATOON—Building bridges — and possibly pipelines — while battling barriers. As Prime Minister Mark Carney meets Monday with the premiers, he wants to fast-track 'nation-building' infrastructure projects and eliminate interprovincial trade barriers to strengthen a Canadian economy under attack from U.S. President Donald Trump. 'Partnership is a theme for our discussion this morning,' Carney said Sunday in Calgary at a roundtable with leading figures from the oil and gas industry before the first ministers' meeting. Prime Minister Mark Carney met with oil and gas executives in Calgary to get their input for his plans to make Canada an energy superpower. Carney, in his first visit to Calgary since being sworn in as prime minister, sat down for a closed door roundtable with several representatives of the energy sector. (June 1, 2025 / The Canadian Press) 'It's a critical time for our country. The world's certainly more divided and dangerous and the imperative of making Canada an energy superpower in all respects has never been greater. We will do everything we can at the federal government level to support those partnerships,' he said. In a letter to the prime minister released Sunday, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said her province wants to get its products to market while reducing dependence on the U.S., meaning pipelines to tidewater must be among Carney's nation-building priorities. 'Failure to have an oil pipeline on the initial list will perpetuate current investment uncertainty and send an unwelcome signal to Albertans concerned about Ottawa's commitment to national unity,' warned Smith, referring to the potential for a referendum on secession in Alberta. Ontario Premier Doug Ford — who signed a memorandum of understanding Sunday with Saskatchewan's Scott Moe to remove barriers to trade and labour mobility between the two provinces — said it was 'encouraging' that Carney was in Calgary earlier in the day to meet with energy executives. 'This prime minister is really sending out olive branches across the country. He understands the previous prime minister (Justin Trudeau) totally ignored Alberta, totally ignored Saskatchewan. That was unacceptable,' said Ford. 'Let's get rid of all this regulation and red tape that's prohibiting us from moving forward at a rapid speed, because it all depends on the speed right now,' he said, noting Trump 'wants to annihilate our economy' with tariffs on Canadian products. Prime Minister Mark Carney is huddling with the country's premiers in Saskatoon to find a consensus on what major industrial projects Canada should prioritize and quickly approve. (June 1, 2025 / The Canadian Press) With Carney pledging to lift Ottawa's hurdles to internal trade by Canada Day, just one month from now, Ford stressed Ontario has also inked accords with Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. 'I'm confident we'll come up with a deal (with Quebec, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador),' he said, pointing out internal trade barriers cost the Canadian economy $200 billion annually and can add 15 per cent to the cost of many goods and services. Quebec Premier François Legault's government tabled a bill Friday to get rid of some interprovincial trade barriers that have limited labour mobility for workers from other parts of Canada. 'What we're doing is sending a signal that Quebec is open to interprovincial trade. If we want to have better access to the Canadian market, we have to accept to open ours,' said Quebec Minister for the Economy Christopher Skeete. But Quebec, which has a shortage of construction workers, plans to keep in place labour barriers in that sector. Saskatchewan's Moe said the leadership change in Ottawa is palpable among the premiers. 'Credit to Prime Minister Carney. He is aware that there's … a feeling of alienation in certain areas of the nation, and Saskatchewan almost certainly would be one of those areas,' he told reporters. 'I would say that it's a reactionary feeling due to the layering of policies that we've seen over the last number of years. That the feeling is, is that it has cost Saskatchewan communities and industries jobs.' To that end, Moe said 'a port-to-port corridor throughout Western Canada … would essentially open up not only the Asian market, but advance our access into the European market as well, for many products.' British Columbia Premier David Eby, who has headed on a trade mission in Asia and will miss the first ministers' meeting, said 'the asks of Alberta are very predictable' in terms of oil and gas. 'Premier Smith has been advocating for this pipeline access for a long time. I'm not surprised that she is continuing to advocate for it,' Eby said Saturday. 'There's no project yet currently — of which I'm aware — and so if finally a project is proposed and financed, whether private or public, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.' Some First Nation leaders and environmentalists have expressed concern about new pipelines at a time when the world is trying to wean itself off of carbon-emitting fuels. Before flying to Saskatoon, Carney announced Marc-André Blanchard, Canada's former ambassador to the United Nations, will be his new chief of staff starting next month, succeeding interim chief Marco Mendicino, who is considering a Toronto mayoral run . He has convened a major summit here for the first time since 1985 to signal to Western Canada that Ottawa is listening to its concerns after a decade of his predecessor's policies that rankled many in Saskatchewan and Alberta. The confab comes as the U.S. president's tariffs aimed at Canada are helping to clear the logjam of interprovincial trade barriers that have left regions competing with one another.
Vancouver Sun
5 hours ago
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
Doug Ford and Scott Moe agree to work on eliminating trade barriers on eve of first ministers' meeting
On the eve of a meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney about knocking down internal trade barriers, Ontario Premier Doug Ford inked a new agreement with Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe to work on eliminating barriers between the two provinces. Both leaders participated in the signing of a memorandum of understanding in Saskatoon on Sunday. The document said Ford and Moe agree to 'build on their respective enabling legislation to remove internal trade barriers between them,' in order to increase the flow of workers as well as services and goods, such as alcohol. Last month, Ford's Progressive Conservative government introduced legislation aimed at removing trade barriers between Ontario and other provinces. Ford has already made similar announcements with Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Manitoba. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Ford and other premiers have turned their attention to addressing longstanding internal trade barriers in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war. In recent weeks, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba and Quebec have all tabled legislation aimed at boosting interprovincial trade. The new memorandum of understanding with Moe cites his Saskatchewan Party government's forthcoming legislation to address the issue. The document signed on Sunday says that Ontario and Saskatchewan 'will strive to ensure that a good or equivalent service or registered worker that is deemed acceptable for sale, use or work in Ontario, is deemed acceptable for sale, use or work in Saskatchewan — and vice versa.' It also calls on other Canadian provincial and territorial leaders to table their own legislation to knock down internal trade barriers, including 'through mutual recognition.' Internal trade is expected to be a focal point of discussion when Carney meets with all 13 provincial and territorial leaders on Monday. The prime minister has repeatedly said Canada's economy would be stronger if it acted as one, not as 13. Another major topic of discussion at Monday's first ministers' meeting will be how Ottawa plans to fast-track the building of major energy and infrastructure projects, with Carney promising to knock down the timeline for approvals to two years from five. Premiers will be provided with an overview of yet-to-be-tabled legislation that seeks to establish a new major projects office and allow for changes to the current regulatory system. The same bill is also expected to contain measures to remove federal trade barriers, something Carney has promised would happen by Canada Day. While Carney has asked all premiers to put forward projects, the federal government will only consider those deemed to be in the 'national interest' to run through the faster approvals system. A government source familiar with the matter, speaking on the condition of background, said that Ottawa is not offering a 'blank cheque' to premiers, but would be evaluating future federal support for projects on a 'case-by-case' basis. The goal, the source said, is to work to remove some of the hurdles existing within the current approvals regime and for provinces to raise their own capital. Speaking to CBC News last week, Carney signalled the government would soon be naming projects that will be fast-tracked. Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak has said she understands the frustration some chiefs have expressed at the federal government's approach to fast-track projects, saying First Nations leaders need to be at the table when decisions are being made. Before heading to Saskatoon, Carney had a meeting with Woodhouse Nepinak, where the proposed legislation was discussed. In terms of the projects that have been pitched, Ford is asking for the Ring of Fire, a long-dreamed-of mining project in the Hudson's Bay lowlands, to be considered, as well as his promise of building a tunnel under Highway 401. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew put forward a plan to turn the Port of Churchill into a trade corridor, while Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston is seeking federal support to expand his province's capacity to export offshore wind, pitching his project as 'Wind West.' Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has asked Carney to commit to working to build an oil pipeline from her province to British Columbia's coast to access Asian markets. Premiers are expected to discuss some of the projects when they meet on Monday. In a letter to the prime minister released by Smith's office, the premier said that an oil pipeline to B.C.'s coast 'must be on the initial list of nation-building projects to signal to industry that the government is committed to seeing private sector investment.' 'Failure to have an oil pipeline on the initial list will perpetuate current investment uncertainty and send an unwelcome signal to Albertans concerned about Ottawa's commitment to national unity.' Carney spoke to representatives of Alberta's energy sector on Sunday before travelling to Saskatoon, where he is expected to attend a private reception with premiers and stakeholders. During his opening remarks, the prime minister addressed a letter which had been sent to him by nearly 40 CEOs of Canadian energy companies asking that he get rid of the federal emissions cap and scrap the carbon price charged to industries. 'It's a critical time for our country,' he said. 'The world's certainly more divided and dangerous and the imperative of making Canada an energy superpower in all respects has never been greater. We will do everything we can at the federal government level to support those partnerships.' staylor@ National Post Get more deep-dive National Post political coverage and analysis in your inbox with the Political Hack newsletter, where Ottawa bureau chief Stuart Thomson and political analyst Tasha Kheiriddin get at what's really going on behind the scenes on Parliament Hill every Wednesday and Friday, exclusively for subscribers. Sign up here . Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
CTV News
12 hours ago
- Business
- CTV News
Premiers need to ‘put up or shut up' on internal trade at first ministers' meeting: Jason Kenney
Former Alberta premier Jason Kenney says the provinces and territories need to maintain the momentum spurred by U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war and make quicker progress on eliminating interprovincial trade barriers. Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to meet with all of Canada's premiers on Monday, with interprovincial trade — and his promise to eliminate barriers to that trade by Canada Day — on the agenda. During a panel interview with former Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne for CTV's Question Period, Kenney said while he has 'a bit of skepticism' based on his previous experience trying to negotiate internal trade, he's hopeful. 'It's time for the premiers to put up or shut up,' Kenney told host Vassy Kapelos. 'This is, again, the time to be bold.' 'We had a sense of real urgency about 10 weeks ago because of the Trump threats,' Kenney added. 'Let's not lose that. Let's grasp this opportunity. Let's not waste a good crisis.' Repeatedly stating the longstanding Canada-U.S. relationship is 'over,' in the face of Trump's sweeping global tariffs, Carney vowed during the election campaign to diversify Canada's trading partners and 'create one Canadian economy out of 13.' Kenney said Monday's meeting has the potential to be 'hugely' significant, especially considering Carney 'has inflated expectations to sky-high levels.' He said while he's hopeful progress could come from the gathering, he also worries the prime minister could be 'setting himself up for great disappointment.' The former premier pointed to his previous efforts to 'create some momentum' on eliminating interprovincial trade barriers, but adding 'virtually no one followed suit.' 'Every premier is going to come with their own shopping list,' Kenney said, adding meetings between the prime minister and the premiers 'often devolve into what I call, derisively, begging-bowl federalism.' 'I hope they think in the national interest, they see the big strategic imperative to expand our economy, turn around the decline in productivity, expand our export markets,' Kenney said. 'This isn't an opportunity to go in front of the prime minister and just pitch for that highway you've been trying to finance or that new hospital you want to build.' Wynne said she thinks much of the provincial jockeying in service of regional self-interests will be put on pause for the sake of the national interest. The former Ontario premier added she doesn't think Carney will put up with the 'begging-bowl scenario,' which she called 'kind of a harsh version of it.' 'I think that he is going to be extremely clear about what the agenda has to be,' Wynne said. 'All the premiers have got their priorities, they've laid out their priorities. They're not going to get everything.' 'So, my hope is that there will be some clarity around at least what the plan is going forward,' she added. Some provinces have been taking action to remove some internal trade barriers, including New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt pushing for an Atlantic Canada free-trade zone. Ontario and Prince Edward Island are also working with Nova Scotia to introduce reciprocal legislation with the aim of eliminating internal trade barriers. And, on Friday, the Quebec government tabled what the province's economy minister called an 'ambitious' bill, which would help open the province's borders to products from other regions. Despite this, several sticking points remain in place and many interprovincial trade barriers continue to exist, such as geographic restrictions on the sale of certain goods, regulatory and policy differences across jurisdictions, and hurdles to labour mobility.
CTV News
a day ago
- Business
- CTV News
Vendors at the Brockville Farmers' Market feeling impact of ‘buy Canadian' push
A "Proudly Canadian" sign at the Brockville Farmers' Market on May 31, 2025. (Jack Richardson/CTV News Ottawa) The Brockville Farmers' Market returned for its 193rd year this month, running every Thursday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. until September Vendors say the push to support Canadian companies amid trade tensions with the United States has been felt positively by vendors. Darren McGuin is the co-owner of Birdie Blocks, a bird feed business from Iroquois, Ont. He says he's had an easier time convincing clients to buy from his business over his American competitors. 'I see lots of that coming through,' McGuin said. 'People are supporting Canadian products and that's what we gotta do.' Additionally, volunteers with the Brockville Rotary Club have been selling lawn signs that read 'Proudly Canadian' and 'Canada Proud' in an initiative leading up to Canada Day. More details to come.
Edmonton Journal
2 days ago
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
Ernie Clement and the Blue Jays beat up on Athletics again
Article content Addison Barger also went deep in Friday's victory while Myles Straw and Nathan Lukes also had two hits apiece as the bottom four in the order went a combined 9-for-16 with nine runs scored, two homers and five RBIs. The following are three takeaways on a night the Blue Jays would score three runs in three different innings to win their third in a row. 1. Run of the mill The Rogers Centre roof was half-open or half-closed, depending on one's perspective. One could draw a similar comparison to the Blue Jays. It's hard to judge this lineup when the opposition is as poor as the A's. Still, the bottom line is the Jays' bats have flourished in two games, beginning with Thursday night's win when 18 hits produced 12 runs. The hitting frenzy carried over into Friday when 15 hits were recorded and every starter in the lineup produced at least one. 2. Canada Day
