By Bruce Cheadle, The Hamilton Spectator.

OTTAWA — The Liberal government will ratify the international Paris climate accord this fall even before it reaches a deal with the provinces and territories on how to meet the country's 2030 emissions target.

Senior government sources told The Canadian Press that Canada will deposit its ratification at the United Nations before Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets the premiers for a promised first ministers meeting on a climate plan that's been under discussion for months.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has been lobbying countries to ratify the Paris agreement before the Nov. 8 U.S. presidential election in hopes of locking in the accord's provisions for at least four years. The landmark pact, which calls for limiting global temperature increases this century to well below two degrees Celsius, only comes into legal force after 55 countries representing 55 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions formally ratify.