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Unity was a recurring theme coming out of the first ministers’ meeting in Saskatoon on Monday.
Premiers met with Prime Minister Mark Carney to pitch their ideas for “nation-building projects” and mostly seemed pleased with the progress that was made.
“I’m going to be very blunt here — this has been the best meeting we’ve had in 10 years,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford said during a news conference following the meeting.
“Great collaboration, great communication and we all walked out of that room united.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford and New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt said the first ministers’ meeting in Saskatoon on Monday created unity among the premiers, describing Prime Minister Mark Carney as ‘Santa Claus.’
Carney’s government is preparing to table legislation that would fast-track projects deemed to be in the national interest. A list of projects wasn’t finalized on Monday but the prime minister said he will “move quickly” to start getting projects approved.
“More projects will come forward. The gate doesn’t come down all of a sudden. Projects will also fall by the wayside because they won’t necessarily meet all the criteria,” Carney said during Monday’s news conference.
“It’s a living list.”
Carney did list a number of projects that were discussed, mostly focused on trade, energy infrastructure and critical minerals.
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“He’s coming and his sled was full of all sorts of stuff. Now he’s taking off back to the North Pole. He’s going to sort it out and then he’s going to call us.”
New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt picked up on Ford’s joke to emphasize the feeling of unity coming out of the meeting.
“On Christmas morning at my house, my kids are pretty excited and not fighting each other over their toys,” she said.
“We’re not going to be in competition with each other because we’re in support of every province here.”
Monday’s meeting was the first time Carney met with the premiers since this spring’s election and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe — who had generally butted heads with Ottawa when Justin Trudeau was prime minister — seemed encouraged.
“Today was a very positive meeting and I hope that Canadians feel very positive with their provincial, territorial and federal leaders coming out of here today in agreement,” Moe told reporters.
Moe said earlier Monday that he thinks Carney so far has done a better job of addressing western alienation than Trudeau. Smith echoed that point during Monday’s news conference.
At the start of the first ministers’ meeting in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said he is hopeful that Prime Minister Mark Carney is doing a better job at addressing concerns about western alienation than his predecessor, Justin Trudeau.
“I would say I’m encouraged by the immediate change of tone that we’ve seen from recent months,” Smith said.
Western premiers met last month to discuss a range of issues that included energy, Arctic security and economic corridors. When asked Monday if he would be supportive of those proposed economic corridors, including more oil pipelines to tidewater, Carney suggested he would be if there is a way to reduce carbon emissions of oil production at the same time.
“Within the broader context of national interest … decarbonized barrels [of oil], working alongside forms of decarbonization — that is absolutely in our interest,” Carney said.
“Let’s call it the grand bargain,” Smith said.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said decarbonized oil pipelines are ‘absolutely in our interest’ following the first ministers’ meeting in Saskatoon on Monday, where premiers pitched major projects to the federal government.
One potential sticking point coming out of Monday’s meeting could be Smith’s request for a pipeline that brings western oil to the northern coast of B.C. A previously proposed pipeline met resistance from communities along the project’s route and was effectively killed when the federal government announced the tanker moratorium in 2016.
Niki Sharma, B.C.’s deputy premier, said Monday morning that her province has “differences of opinion” on a pipeline through northern B.C.
“We’re focused on where we can find alignment,” Sharma told reporters. “With [a northern B.C. pipeline] project, there’s no proponent at this stage. We’re going to be focused on really shovel-ready projects.”
But Smith told reporters that proponents for a pipeline through northern B.C. will come forward if the regulatory system changes.
The Alberta premier had sent a letter to Carney in mid-May, saying there are several preconditions necessary to make his nation-building ambitions a success: Include an oil pipeline on the initial list of projects, abandon the “unconstitutional” oil and gas emissions cap, overhaul the Impact Assessment Act and repeal Canada’s industrial carbon tax, as well as clean electricity regulations.
Smith said Monday evening that talks on those sticking points can be reserved for a “future conversation.”
First Nations concerned about pending legislation
In the coming weeks, the Liberal government is expected to table “one Canadian economy” legislation that would provide up-front approvals for major projects.
But some First Nations are raising concerns about the pending bill.
Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak said Monday that she is worried about how the legislation could impact First Nations’ rights.
“While we support efforts to protect Canada from geopolitical and economic uncertainty, First Nations are very concerned that this federal proposal has the potential to violate many collective rights of First Nations respecting lands, water, resources, inherent title, rights, jurisdiction and treaty,” Woodhouse said in a statement.
“First Nations will require clarification regarding the design of Crown-First Nations engagement and consultation, timelines and how rights holders will be invited to respond to the Crown on this matter.”
Source: cbc
