CBC Political NEWS :
Canada's premiers emerged from their three-day summer meeting in Charlottetown today with an agreement to move forward with a national energy strategy.
By Susana Mas, CBC News
Posted: Aug 29, 2014 11:57 AM ET
Last Updated: Aug 29, 2014 6:22 PM ET
Canada's premiers emerged from their three-day summer meeting in Charlottetown today with an agreement to move forward with a national energy strategy.
P.E.I. Premier Robert Ghiz, who was chairing this week's meeting,
said all provinces and territories are now on board after years of
trying to reach a consensus.
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The agreement came about thanks to the election of a federalist
government in Quebec last April and British Columbia's decision to join
in late 2013.
Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard said he was pleased to see the
premiers make the link between the environment and an energy strategy.
"I'm extremely happy that our government is joining the buildup of
the strategy," said Couillard, whose province has joined California in
creating a cap-and-trade system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall said the provinces have agreed to
transition to a low-carbon economy but whether that's achieved through
a carbon tax, cap-and-trade or other technologies will be up to each
premier to decide.
"There's a determination on the part of the provinces to deal with
the issue. We each have different economies, different energy profiles
... so price [on carbon] will come in many forms."
Fiscal imbalance, aboriginal women, trade
The premiers were also united in their call to see the federal
government take an active role in discussions about missing and murdered
aboriginal women, as well as funding for health care and infrastructure.
Couillard, who publicly claims to have a good working relationship
with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, said he was quite disappointed to
hear Ottawa say there is no fiscal imbalance.
"It isn't very practical to ignore the facts," Couillard said.
With the door slammed shut on a national public inquiry, the premiers
called on the federal government this week to compromise and have key ministers attend a national roundtable on the issue of missing and murdered aboriginal women.
Today, Northwest Territories Premier Bob McLeod said if the prime
minister rejects the idea of a roundtable, the premiers will go ahead
and take action without the federal government.
"We're going to be working to develop a national framework for action
to end violence against aboriginal women and girls," McLeod said.
B.C. Premier Christy Clark said the premiers are supportive of a public inquiry because police alone can't address the problem.
"There are major systemic issues at stake here… it can not be done solely by police."
Clark argued the federal government should see this as a "historic opportunity" to support First Nations.
While the premiers agreed on the need to drop interprovincial trade barriers between them, only a handful of provinces arrived at agreements this week.
British Columbia and Saskatchewan struck a deal that would allow
consumers in each province to purchase wine directly from producers.
Alberta Premier Dave Hancock and Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil
agreed to harmonize the rules for workers who enrol in apprenticeships
