The Liberal government is expected to table legislation in the coming months on Canada’s labour laws after holding consultations on potential changes over the spring and summer.

For industry and labour, there’s some broad signals on what’s on the table, but it’s uncertain what direction the government is moving towards, with Ottawa chalking it up to the need to strengthen the federal collective bargaining framework to support Prime Minister Mark Carney’s economic agenda.

Jobs and Families Minister Patty Hajdu hasn’t tipped her hand at this point about what the government is planning, other than hinting at support for early intervention by mediators and reiterating that the right to strike is protected by the Charter.

That hasn’t stopped those in organized labour circles from warning that they’re prepared to fight tooth and nail should Ottawa make any moves to curtail their powers at the bargaining table.

Bea Bruske, the head of the Canadian Labour Congress, told iPolitics the consultations were only ordered at the behest of industry and to “determine pathways to preventing strikes and lockouts that will impact the economy.”

“Labour will fight back against any encroachment on the right to strike,” she said in an emailed statement on Friday.

“That will mean organizing in every province and territory to ensure workers understand what this means to them and how it will impact the negotiations for 1 million workers in Canada.”

Secretary of State for Labour John Zerucelli said that’s not the case.

He told iPolitics in an interview on Friday the government respects the collective bargaining processes and the consultations are focused on updating Canada’s labour laws to keep pace with economic and technological disruptions.

Marco Vigliotti has more.

The U.S. envoy to Canada says 14 months of trade talk between Canada and the Trump administration has resolved few issues, but he insists the Americans will keep talking in the hopes of striking an agreement on the future of CUSMA, as well as settling other issues.

U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra made the remarks on CBC’s Ottawa Morning, where he was asked by host Rebecca Zandbergen how far apart he believes Canada and the United States are on settling the trade irritants that are frustrating a renewal of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement.

“I think we have a ways to go yet,” he said. “We’re going to continue talking in July and August and we’ll just keep going through the process and see if we can iron these things out.”

CBC News has more.

And finally, Prime Minister Mark Carney will meet next week with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, but federal officials would not say whether the prime minister plans to raise human rights concerns during the visit.

At a background briefing ahead of the trip, officials would only point to Carney’s past comments on the issue.

“The Prime Minister has been clear that we must be able to address these areas of disagreement without destabilizing opportunities for co-operation,” one official said. “He’s been clear that engagement does not equal endorsement.”

CTV News has this one.

In Other Headlines

Internationally

Festivities commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence ramped up across the United States on Friday as demonstrations of national pride — and hints of political polarization — were balanced with efforts to stay safe as much of the country baked under extreme heat.

President Donald Trump will travel to South Dakota to deliver a speech and watch fireworks at Mount Rushmore. And in a novel twist, there will be a ball drop in New York City’s Times Square at midnight to usher in the July Fourth holiday with much the same revelry that is typically reserved for New Year’s Eve.

The sound of fighter jets on military flyovers shook the nation’s capital. In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivered his own address on the country’s 250th anniversary that cast America as a nation of contradictions “working each day towards the perfection in which it was conceived.”

AP reports.

In Other International Headlines

The Kicker

Tomorrow is the day — Canada’s men’s soccer team hits the field to take on Morocco for a spot in the quarter-finals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

There’s no doubt that if Canada pulls it off, it will be the biggest win in this country’s men’s soccer history.

Kickoff is at 1 p.m. ET.