If you only listened to the effusive praise from the premiers after their meeting over the past three days in Muskoka, you might miss the strong scent of absolute bullshit wafting from them. Yes, there was plenty more gushing about prime minister Mark Carney, and his meeting with them on Tuesday about the current trade negotiations with the Americans, and his engaging with China about the current trade spat with them (where apparently a number of premiers think we should capitulate to China as well), but my gods, the rest of their statements? More of the same from our premiers.

Take bail reform. Doug Ford insisted that they would be “holding him accountable” on his promise to institute more bail reforms in the fall, but problem with bail is not the Criminal Code. The problem with bail is that the provinces have been under-resourcing their justice systems for decades. There aren’t enough court houses or staff for them, the provincial remand facilities are overflowing, and they don’t hire enough provincial court judges or Crown attorneys, nor are some provinces properly training their justices of the peace, who usually make bail determinations. That is all the provinces’ faults, but they continue to falsely blame the federal government because it’s easier than the premiers doing their jobs.

Or healthcare. Ford whinged that the Trudeau government “shortchanged them” and they want more “flexibility.” The same Doug Ford that took $4 billion in pandemic supports from the federal government and just applied it to his bottom line to reduce the provincial deficit. And you can bet that the premiers are sore that Trudeau made the last round of transfers conditional on provinces submitting “action plans” so that they can be judged to see whether the funds are actually going to healthcare spending in those priority areas rather than just being spent elsewhere, as so many billions of past healthcare dollars have been. So of course, they want Carney to try and reverse that. They’re not happy that they have been subjected to strings on those transfers.

"Ford said the previous federal government shortchanged the provinces, and that Ontario needs more money to train and hire doctors and nurses."DOUG FORD PUT $4 BILLION OF PANDEMIC FUNDS ON THE PROVINCE'S BOTTOM LINE TO REDUCE THE DEFICIT.FOR FUCK SAKES!

— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2025-07-24T03:27:14.634Z

Even more alarming is the fact that Ford, on the advice of Danielle Smith, wants to go around the federal government and issue their own work permits to asylum seekers in the province because the federal government takes too long. That’s a pretty significant overreach, which is a very bad sign. And you can bet that none of the premiers will be held to account for any of this, because that’s how we roll in this country.

— Effin' Birds (@effinbirds.com) 2025-07-23T13:25:09.670Z

Ukraine Dispatch

In spite of “peace talks” in Istanbul, there were more drone strikes traded from both sides—Russians hit residential and historic sites in Odesa, while Ukraine hit an oil storage depot near the Black Sea. More Ukrainian POWs were also returned yesterday. Facing protests for the changes to the anti-corruption agencies, president Zelenskyy now says he’ll introduce new legislation to safeguard their independence (but it remains to be seen what that legislation will actually say). European security reports show China covertly shipped drone parts to Russia using mislabelled containers to avoid sanctions.

https://twitter.com/ukraine_ua/status/1947597862574952514

Good reads:

• Mark Carney visited his childhood home of Fort Smith, NWT, on his way to Inuvik for his meeting with Inuit leaders.
• Carney apparently told PEI’s premier that they are working to reduce bridge and ferry tolls, calling them “barriers to trade.” Of course.
• Julie Dabrusin is holding firm on the EV mandate, so the industry is trying to go around her to get Carney to scrap it instead.
• Gregor Robertson told Toronto that if they don’t live up to their agreement to zone sixplexes, they will lose a quarter of their Housing Accelerator Funding.
• The government shut down their $68 million programme to modernise the asylum system for no apparent reason.
• Here’s another look at how terrible Bill C-2 is for refugees seeking shelter in Canada (in addition to the privacy-destroying lawful access components).
• Outgoing envoy for tackling antisemitism, Deborah Lyons, described her frustration with being unable to get business or faith leaders to engage.
• Canadian cities have been cancelling events featuring a rising MAGA musician, which is prompting some reflection on free speech.
• Here is a profile of new Conservative MP David McKenzie, who spent a career in commercial litigation.
• Saskatchewan will be getting federal aid for their wildfire situation.
• Alberta’s immigration minister is freaking out by the fact that family reunification immigration is still happening, rather than his government doing their jobs.
• The breakaway UCP MLAs are now in a legal battle to revive the “Progressive Conservative” name, and are also in talks to merge with the centrist Alberta Party.
• Kevin Carmichael notes the rising trend of income inequality in Canada (which was never as bad as in the US), and why that is a problem Carney needs to watch for.
• Jason Markusoff notices a shift in Danielle Smith’s language in calling for changes to federal environmental laws.
• My column takes a look at Carney’s choice for his new Government Leader, and why it’s even harder for him to claim he’s “non-affiliated.”

Odds and ends:

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