Carney meets with premiers as trade negotiations loom
PM Mark Carney is chairing a virtual meeting with provincial leaders today as the government prepares online harms legislation, weeks before a mandatory trade review begins.
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Prime Minister Mark Carney is chairing a virtual meeting with the premiers today as his government prepares to table online harms legislation expected to include a social media ban for youth under a certain age.
Manitoba and Quebec are both developing provincial laws banning social media for children and teens, while other provinces have shown support or interest in similar measures.
The gathering marks the first meeting of all premiers since Alberta's Danielle Smith announced a fall referendum on potential separation. Tensions persist between Alberta and B.C. over a proposed oil pipeline to the west coast — a file Carney has agreed to work toward with the Smith government.
The timing is significant: the mandatory review of the Canada, United States, Mexico Agreement on free trade begins July 1. Ontario Premier Doug Ford was in Washington this week to advocate for continued Canada-U.S. free trade, signaling the provinces' concern about maintaining continental trade relationships as political uncertainty rises.
For Montréal readers, the social media age ban and trade stability are both relevant — the first shapes what young people across the country can access online; the second affects cross-border commerce and jobs tied to continental supply chains.