Premiers Harp on Harper

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper stands on the bow of the HMCS Kingston on Sunday.

Russia and China are pressing their interest in the resource rich Arctic lands that traditionally belong to Canada. There are grumblings that they will try to claim some of that territory. Both  countries have sent surveillance vessels into the area. And recently Chinese state sponsored agencies hacked into our government computer systems.
While Harper is away visiting in Canada's Arctic trying to demonstrate and emphasize our sovereignty over our northern-most lands by his presence, the boys and gals on the provincial back benches of parliament are getting together to hash out issues and grievances.

Another premiers' meeting, another opportunity for provincial leaders to vent about Stephen Harper.

Canada's premiers are meeting in Prince Edward Island this week for their annual summer retreat – dubbed the Council of the Federation – to talk trade, energy and missing and murdered women.


It's a given from the outset that Harper doesn't come to these confabs. In fact, he hasn't called a first ministers' meeting in about five years. He believes that they become a political gong show, giving premiers a platform to bellyache as a means to win votes back home.
Every year that stance becomes a source of consternation for premiers who openly criticize the prime minister for his absence. This year is no different. The first salvo was launched by Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne:
"The fact that the federal government has refused, that Stephen Harper has refused to come and meet with the premiers, I think is a very big problem," Wynne told reporters.
"It's a big problem in terms of international trade. It's a big problem in terms of internal trade. It's a problem in terms of national interest, like a Canadian energy strategy, or like infrastructure investment. It would be better if the federal government were at the table with us."


This time, the Harper government is fighting back with vim and vigour. Finance Minister Joe Oliver claims that Wynne's attack isn't at all sincere.
"The premier is trying to divert attention from her government's own difficulties by picking fights with the federal government," Oliver told Yahoo Canada News through a spokesperson.
"Instead she should focus on dealing with her real challenges ... she should stop saddling future generations with ever more debt and follow our lead by returning to balanced budgets."
"We are always ready to work constructively with her government to achieve our overarching goal of jobs, growth and long-term prosperity for Ontarians and all Canadians."


During the Mulroney and Chretien eras, first ministers' conferences were commonplace as Ottawa sought provincial input on a host of matters including national unity, health care, infrastructure and energy. Harper has opted instead to meet with premiers on a one-on-one basis and having his cabinet minister meet regularly with their counterparts. In July, for example, Minister of Employment and Social Development Jason Kenney met with provincial ministers in Charlottetown.


The opposition parties however, hearken back to the days of Mulroney and Chretien. Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau has said that as prime minister, he would meet regularly with the premiers while NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair would take it a step further.
"Mr. Mulcair has been saying for some time that an NDP government would hold two council of the federation meetings per year – one in Ottawa and one in a province or territory on a rotating basis," George Smith, spokesperson for Mulcair, told Yahoo.
"Mr. Mulcair has said that perhaps it's because he comes from provincial politics but, unlike Harper, he is not afraid to sit down and talk with the provinces."