Doug Ford and Mark Carney mend fences over pizza

Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Prime Minister Mark Carney met at a Pizza Nova in Etobicoke, appeared to smooth over recent differences and discussed several policy areas including the auto sector.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Prime Minister Mark Carney met for the first time in weeks at a Pizza Nova in Etobicoke and spoke with local children on a snow day. The encounter was cordial and framed around unity, coming after public disagreement over a recently announced trade deal. Both leaders spent about 45 minutes together and described several policy topics they wanted to move forward. Ford was also scheduled to meet federal Industry Minister Melanie Joly later the same day. Key details: - The meeting took place at a Pizza Nova location in Etobicoke and was described as friendly by both men. - Carney said they discussed around "five big topics" during a roughly 45-minute conversation. - Ford and Carney emphasised national unity and signalled a willingness to coordinate on issues. - Ford had publicly criticised a trade deal with China announced last week that involves Chinese-made electric vehicles and loosened tariffs on some Canadian products. - Topics raised included energy, critical minerals, the Ring of Fire and the auto sector. - Carney said they expect to see each other again in two days, noting an upcoming First Ministers' Meeting. Summary: The meeting represented a public effort to ease a recent disagreement that followed Ford's criticism of a China-related EV trade arrangement. Officials said they covered multiple policy areas and plan to continue discussions in the days ahead at the First Ministers' Meeting.