Carney to meet premiers this month as CUSMA talks intensify

Prime Minister Mark Carney will meet with provincial premiers in Ottawa on Jan. 29, as the mandatory review of the Canada‑U.S.‑Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) moves into a more active phase.

Prime Minister Mark Carney will meet with provincial premiers in Ottawa on Jan. 29, and he will host a dinner the night before. The gathering begins a busy year as the mandatory review of the Canada‑U.S.‑Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) kicks into high gear. The premiers and the prime minister have met periodically over the last year, often virtually, amid U.S. tariffs that have affected sectors such as steel, aluminum and autos. The timing follows Carney's trip to China, where trade, energy, agriculture and international security were on the agenda. Key details: - The meeting is scheduled for Jan. 29 in Ottawa, with a dinner the night before. - The gathering comes as the mandatory CUSMA review becomes more active this year. - U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told Congress that CUSMA has been "successful to a certain degree" but said changes are needed before the U.S. would agree to extend the pact. - Greer cited U.S. concerns including Canada's dairy quota system, the online streaming law, and provincial boycotts of U.S. alcohol. - Carney and the premiers have held periodic meetings over the past year amid ongoing trade tensions and tariffs affecting multiple Canadian sectors. Summary: The meeting brings federal and provincial leaders together as the CUSMA review gains prominence and U.S. officials have signalled they want changes. It follows Parliament's return and Carney's recent trip to China. Undetermined at this time.