PM says he expects U.S. to 'respect Canadian sovereignty' after Alberta separatists meet with Trump team

ground government minister, premiers bear word conference after meeting in Ottawa

A Manitoba referendum on staying in Canada would be a choice between 'yeah and heck yeah,' Kinew jokes

'We'll be there' for laid-off auto workers, Ontario premier says

Bank of Canada governor says 'it's pretty clear' days of open rules-based trade with U.S. Are over

Carney says he told Trump in call: 'I meant what I said in Davos'

Scott Bessent warns Carney not to 'pick a fight' with Trump

As the 13 premiers meet in Ottawa today, Manitoba's Premier, Wab Kinew, weighs in on tensions between the leaders and on why Churchill deserves truckloads of money to beef up its port.

"We can still have differences of opinion or debates, arguments even on certain topics, while still being resolute in our commitment to stay united for Canadian freedom and independence," Kinew said. 

That includes working together to help the average Canadian "deal with the cost of living, the price of groceries and all the other economic pressures that people face," he added.

Kinew recently disagreed publicly with Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who has threatened to pull Crown Royal whisky off the province's liquor store shelves. Parent company Diageo is closing a bottling plant in Ontario, and the whisky is distilled in Manitoba.

Ultimately, Kinew said that premiers advocating for their own priorities also have to work together for the bigger picture  — like a hockey team.

"You take a kid from the Rockies, a kid from the Prairies, a kid from Quebec, a kid from Ontario, kid from the West Coast, kid from the North … put them together and then they go win an Olympic medal on the ice hockey sheet, right?" he said. 

The U.S. State Department confirmed officials have met with members of the Alberta separatist movement. 

In a statement, the department said it "regularly meets with civil society types." 

"As is typical in routine meetings such as these, no commitments were made," it said. 

The prime minister just told reporters that he plans to meet with the premiers monthly once trade talks with the U.S. And Mexico begin in earnest. All three countries are preparing for a CUSMA trade deal review this year.

Carney is speaking now alongside the premiers.

The prime minister isn't the only leader having discussions about the high-stakes North American trade negotiations today.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she had a "cordial" call with U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this morning.

The two leaders discussed trade and security issues, ahead of the upcoming review of the free trade deal.

"There is nothing concrete, but it is coming along very well," Sheinbaum said about the trade deal in her morning news conference, adding that "our interest is that the trade agreement remains with the three countries."

Sheinbaum added that she has "a very good relationship with Canada" and plans on having a call with Carney "soon."

B.C.'s Eby says it's 'very clear' Carney, Alberta's Smith are driving pipeline after meeting

After meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith in Ottawa, B.C. Premier David Eby says 'there wasn't any substantial new information from Alberta, and B.C.'s position hasn't changed' on a new oil pipeline. Asked about Carney's message on whether the project will be built, Eby says it's 'very clear' to him the project is 'being driven by the province of Alberta and the prime minister.'

Hi folks, I'm a senior writer with our politics team. B.C. Premier David Eby and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith had a sit-down with Carney yesterday — the first time the three had met together since Ottawa and Alberta signed their memorandum of understanding in November that broadly laid out a path forward for a new bitumen pipeline to the B.C. Coast.

Eby has been opposed to such a project, arguing that it lacks a private proponent and buy-in from key Indigenous communities.

The B.C. Premier said yesterday that while the meeting was "cordial" and "borderline friendly," there "hasn't been any significant update" to suggest that the project would come to pass — at least at this point.

Smith, who also told reporters that the meeting was productive, said she plans to bring forward a proposal to the federal Major Projects Office in June. The hope is that once that bureaucratic hurdle is complete, a private proponent will step forward. She also said she hopes the proposal will garner buy-in from First Nations groups by clarifying a potential route and other project details.

Eby also indicated that Carney is firmly behind the project.

"It's certainly very clear to me that this is a project that's being driven by the province of Alberta and the prime minister," Eby told our colleagues at Power & Politics.

I'm the digital senior producer with the parliamentary bureau.

At the outset of today's meeting, the prime minister told the premiers the talks would focus on "building our strength at home and transforming our economy."

Carney said he and the premiers would look at ways to establish new trade partnerships. Many of his international trips in office have been focused on just that.

After his opening comments and those from P.E.I. Premier Bloyce Thompson, who chairs the Council of the Federation, media were led out of the room.

A Manitoba referendum on staying in Canada would be a choice between 'yeah and heck yeah,' Kinew jokes

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew was asked Thursday about a report saying an Alberta separatist group sought support from U.S. Officials ahead of a potential referendum. He joked about what Manitobans might say should they be asked to decide if they want to stay in Canada.

Kinew joked about what options would be on a referendum ballot in Manitoba.

B.C. Premier says Alberta independence group courting Trump officials is 'treason'

B.C. Premier David Eby commented on a Financial Times report detailing meetings between leaders of the Alberta Prosperity Project, a separatist group, and U.S. President Donald Trump's White House officials. 'To ask for assistance in breaking up Canada, there's an old-fashioned word for that, and that word is treason,' Eby said.

Hi I'm Cat Tunney, a senior reporter with the parliamentary bureau. The premiers were talkative this morning on the issue of national unity in light of reports that members of the Alberta separatist movement have met with the Trump administration and are seeking financial backing from the U.S. Treasury.

"To go to a foreign country and to ask for assistance in breaking up Canada, there's an old-fashioned word for that, and that word is treason," said B.C. Premier David Eby.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew joked to reporters that all the talk makes him want to have a referendum as well.

"Except in Manitoba the question is going to be: 'Do you want to stay a part of Canada?' And the two choices are going to be yeah and heck yeah," he said.

And Ontario Premier Doug Ford urged Alberta Premier Danielle Smith "to stand up and say enough is enough." 

Eby said he plans to raise the issue behind closed doors, so we'll see if they have anything more to say when the meeting is over.

Hello, I'm an editor with the parliamentary bureau.

Prime Minister Mark Carney is meeting with Canada's premiers today in Ottawa, as a review of the North American trade deal is coming up later this year — and as potential tests to the strength of the federation are on the horizon.

Talk of independence in both Quebec and Alberta is heating up, and tensions remain over a potential pipeline to the West Coast.

The prime minister is expected to take questions after the closed-door meeting. We'll be providing updates here, and you'll be able to watch the news conference live above.

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