Published 11:03 am Tuesday, August 25, 2026 By William Koblensky Varela Local Journalism Initiative Northern News Service The Federal, Provincial and Territorial Committee on Internal Trade is coming to Iqaluit “later this week” in the wake of a collapsed trade deal with the U.S., Premier John Main said on Aug. 24. Main said his government would assess the impacts of tariffs on the territory. “As premier of Nunavut, I am disappointed and concerned that the Canada-US trade talks did not conclude successfully over the weekend,” Main said on Aug. 24. Minister responsible for trade Craig Simailak will co-host the meeting. On Aug. 25, Main will take questions from reporters at 4 p.m. at the legislative assembly, regarding the breakdown in trade talks. Prime Minister Mark Carney said in Aug. 21 statement that he decided to suspend trade negotiations with the U.S. after not making enough progress to secure a good deal. Carney spoke with provincial and territorial premiers on Aug. 22 about imposing dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs on U.S. imports. Carney also said he was working a support package for workers and businesses affected by tariffs. The last time the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Committee on Internal Trade met was on July 21, when NWT and Nunavut premiers decided against signing a Direct-to-Consumer Alcohol Agreement to preserve communities’ decision-making on alcohol sales. The Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses gave Nunavut the lowest grade for internal trade in the country in July, citing hunting and fishing protections, along with not recognizing out-of-territory products.
GN hosting internal trade meeting in Iqaluit with federal, provincial and territorial counterparts
