First Nations, Carney and premiers set to gather for day of ceremony

First Nations hold ceremony with country's leaders

Assembly of First Nations Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak speaks during the First Nations Summit at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., on Thursday, July 17, 2025.

THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby

Writer

First Nations leaders are gathering with Prime Minister Mark Carney and the country's premiers in Ottawa today for a ceremony ahead of a historic meeting on Monday.

Monday's meeting will the first such gathering since the Kelowna Accord talks of 2005, which brought premiers and then-prime minister Paul Martin together with Indigenous leaders to discuss ways to close the socioeconomic gaps in their communities.

First Nations will be represented in the closed-door meeting on Monday largely by regional chiefs from the Assembly of First Nations.

The Privy Council Office has not said which premiers will be attending the meeting, although Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith have both said they will be absent.

The ceremonies will be held in Ottawa with knowledge keepers, elders, First Nations leaders and community members.

National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak says it's important to start the meeting with ceremony to ensure all participants are entering with the right frame of mind, grounded in First Nations spirituality.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 25, 2026.

First Nations, Carney and premiers set to gather for day of ceremony

Lotto Max winning numbers for Friday, October 23 are out and there's a $20 million jackpot

MaxPlus prizes are also up for grabs.

This Ontario village with little shops and rolling hills is like a cozy Hallmark scene

It's the perfect spot for a late-autumn outing. 🍂

5 of the worst parts about living in Canada (in case you're considering a move)

Just a little reality check!

I'm a food writer — These are the 7 top Ottawa restaurants on my shortlist

BRB, making reservations 😋

Here's how prices of Halloween candy at Bulk Barn compare to Costco, Walmart and Loblaws

Some of the price differences are more than $10!

This Ontario spot is like a mini Edinburgh with limestone shops and cobblestone streets

No passport required!

BC NDP Leader David Eby wins Vancouver-Point Grey, loses election

Eby wins in Vancouver-Point Grey

This $20 train from Toronto takes you to a riverside town with little cafes and quaint shops

It's a charming spot for a weekend escape.

What people are saying about the B.C. election campaign

What people are saying in the B.C. election

OneBC's Dallas Brodie loses Vancouver-Quilchena riding

OneBC's Dallas Brodie loses riding