Ontario Premier Doug Ford Discusses Late-Night Meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Muskoka Cottage

Ontario Premier Doug Ford spoke to reporters after the first ministers' meeting in Huntsville, Ont. He mentioned that he and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had a late-night discussion at his Muskoka cottage, where they "chatted by the fireplace, solving the world's problems."

Ontario Premier Doug Ford spoke to reporters after the first ministers' meeting in Huntsville, Ont., revealing a late-night discussion with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at his Muskoka cottage. The two leaders "chatted by the fireplace, solving the world's problems," according to Ford, who emphasized the importance of maintaining a strong stance against U.S. President Donald Trump's trade policies.

Ford's comments come as the premiers and territorial leaders gather in Muskoka to discuss strategies to combat the "unprecedented" taxes imposed by the U.S. president. The meeting, which began today, aims to address trade and tariffs, federal inter-provincial trade barriers, First Nations cooperation, and the overall economy affecting all Canadians [1].

Ontario's premier has been vocal about the province's economic power and its significant purchasing power south of the border. He highlighted that Americans buy and import "way more" from Ontario than most other large countries combined, stressing the need for fair trade deals [1]. Ford also hinted at the possibility of reimposing a surcharge on electricity exports to U.S. states if trade talks fail, stating that "everything's on the table" [2].

The meeting is scheduled to continue officially tomorrow with Prime Minister Mark Carney joining the premiers, territorial, and First Nations leaders. Ford expressed his eagerness to welcome fellow leaders to his cottage in Port Sydney, where national interests will intersperse with Muskoka's natural Canadian setting [1].

References:
[1] https://muskokatoday.com/2025/07/ford-hosting-premiers-tonight-at-his-port-sydney-cottage-to-talk-trade-tariffs-trump/
[2] https://financialpost.com/news/economy/ontario-electricity-export-tax-possible-trade-talks-fail