‘PRODUCTIVE’ MEETING
No major results, but premiers feel issues heard
MONTREAL • After days of speculation and predictions of the most acrimonious meeting in years, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s fourth annual gathering with all provincial and territorial premiers came off without any major hitches — or major results.
“This meeting was a chance to discuss our common priorities, like the need to grow the Canadian economy and to create good, well-paid jobs for the middle class,” Trudeau said during a press conference Friday evening.
Trudeau had promised during the 2015 election to hold annual first ministers’ meetings, a change from the former Harper government’s practice. But with a growing chorus of provincial premiers who oppose the federal government on issues ranging from carbon pricing to support for asylum seekers, it seemed this year’s meeting was likely to feature more discord than in years past.
In the days leading up to the meeting, reports circulated that the premiers were unhappy with the prime minister’s agenda, which focused on trade and didn’t explicitly mention issues of concern to them, including Alberta’s struggling energy sector, federal environmental assessment legislation or the federal carbon tax.
But by the end of the day on Friday, most premiers said the meetings had been “productive,” and seemed to feel their concerns had been heard.
“I am pleased about the fact that we had some very fertile discussion on all the items,” said New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs. “So the agenda did reflect the concerns that we had.”
All 14 first ministers ultimately signed a joint communiqué that said they had “discussed ways to collaborate to help grow the economy and protect the environment, reduce red tape, create opportunities for small and mediumsized business, and improve the everyday lives of Canadians.”
Still, there was little tangible progress on any of the provinces’ major concerns, including what Alberta Premier Rachel Notley called a “crisis in the oilpatch.” Last weekend, Notley announced a temporary 8.7 per cent cut in the province’s oil production, an attempt to address discounts in Alberta oil prices caused by a lack of transportation capacity.
“We definitely raised the profile of the issue. We made it very clear what we are looking for. I think there’s willingness to look at it, but we don’t have the answer yet. I’ve got to be frank on that,” Notley told reporters.
Ahead of the meeting, media reports suggested Ontario Premier Doug Ford might walk out in protest, possibly taking other premiers with him. But by Friday morning, federal and provincial officials were making it clear no such plan was in the works. Provincial officials said it was never Ford’s goal to leave, and he was pleased Environment Minister Catherine Mckenna kept her comments brief and left Trudeau to lead the discussion on climate change and carbon pricing. “The premiers came to speak with the prime minister,” an official told the Post on background. “They don’t want to be lectured.”
Other premiers made it clear that if Ford left, he’d be going alone. “I will be here until the meeting is finished, pushing the federal government for action that will lead to more jobs in Saskatchewan,” Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe tweeted Friday morning.
Ford touched off another small skirmish later in the day, when he told reporters Trudeau had changed his expectations on climate action by saying that Ontario should do more than cut its own greenhouse-gas emissions by 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, in line with the federal target. Ford claims his climate plan, revealed last month, will meet the 30 per cent goal.
“I’d just like to know where’s the new goalpost? Where is it now?” he said.
But the fight dwindled to nothing almost as soon as it had started. Nova Scotia Premier Stephen Mcneil said Trudeau hadn’t changed anything.
“He didn’t say they had to do more,” he told reporters. “What he said was some will exceed more.”
Federal officials said there was nothing new in Ottawa’s position that the Ford government isn’t doing enough to fight climate change. Mckenna told reporters the Ontario government has “no intention of meeting a target.”
“Premier Ford put forward a plan that is a step backwards,” Trudeau said. “Canada’s targets are national targets, even though the premier may wish to play games with numbers. If anyone is moving the goalposts, it’s Premier Ford.”
On trade, which Ottawa had highlighted as the main focus of this year’s meeting, there were few signs of progress. Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister, who’d gone into the meeting calling for a “unified commitment” to eliminate interprovincial trade barriers, emerged to report that the provinces had not reached a consensus to end limits on the personal transport of alcohol between provinces, though nine provinces have agreed.
But if the meeting was thin on results, it was equally light on theatrics. Overall, a gathering that seemed on Thursday at risk of being derailed by disgruntled premiers ended with little fanfare or open hostility on Friday evening. Earlier in the day, Prince Edward Island Premier Wade Maclauchlan had predicted that no premiers would walk out, injecting a little perspective into a day otherwise consumed by political posturing.
“We are not in an existential crisis in this country today,” he said. “We know what the challenges are for our country. … We know what our responsibilities are. And frankly, we know how we can work together and move forward.”