PM serves char, strudel --and tough beans

At least the prime-minister and the premiers are guaranteed that they will eat well. I wonder what the total bill is for this four hour meal with discussions. The menu sounds much richer than the average taxpayer is accustomed to. Surely, there is a more cost-effective and efficient way to hold meetings with the premiers as some of the participants mention. Any aid that Harper will give will take the form of a bribe in the upcoming budget. Pass the budget or lose the aid. Of course voters may decide to vote Harper out and rely on the next government for aid to the provinces.


PM serves char, strudel – and tough beans


Premiers' meeting fails to yield help for Ontario

Jan 12, 2008 04:30 AM
Tonda MacCharles, Robert Benzie
and Bruce Campion-Smith
staff reporters

OTTAWA–Prime Minister Stephen Harper fails to grasp the growing economic storm on the horizon, the nation's premiers warned after a rare first ministers meeting last night.

Though the tone was respectful, tensions were evident as the premiers emerged from their four-hour dinner discussion at 24 Sussex Drive, where the impact of a soaring Canadian dollar and rising energy prices were front and centre.

Premier Dalton McGuinty, who has watched thousands of high-paying manufacturing jobs disappear from Ontario, led the charge for a federal action plan to cope with the looming crisis.

"I came here in search of a partner. Not for myself, but for our families, our workers, our communities, our industries that have been caught up in this economic dislocation," a visibly concerned McGuinty told reporters at the Chateau Laurier hotel after the meeting.

"We've got a great plan in place in Ontario, but the fact of the matter is we are at our best when we work together and we could do more if we had a strong, committed and willing partner in the federal government," he said.

"I did not find that partner here today."

McGuinty said Harper "is pretty specific in terms of not (being) willing to embrace employment insurance reform and not being attracted to something that we have done in Ontario, which is to enter into strategic partnerships with specific businesses on condition that they make an investment of their own, put skin in the game."

He insisted that he remained "optimistic, as I must, to see if I can move the Prime Minister in particular."

Asked if he and Harper agreed on anything at the meeting, McGuinty smiled and said: "It was a good meal."

Harper and the premiers dined on Arctic char, Atlantic oysters, beef tenderloin from Alberta and Ontario, Saugeen Valley frozen yogurt, apple and nut strudel and Quebec cheeses.

But the premiers left the Prime Minister's official residence with no concrete promises, only Harper's assurance that their worries had been heard.

In a statement, the Prime Minister said he had a "constructive" discussion with the provincial and territorial leaders.

"It is essential that Canada's governments work together, in a spirit of open federalism, to ensure the right conditions for Canada's economic success," Harper, who did not face reporters, said in the statement.

Insisting Canada's economy is well-positioned for "long-term growth and prosperity," he conceded the country could be buffeted by external forces, such as currency fluctuations.

Meanwhile, in signs of a weakening economy, Statistics Canada reported yesterday that the country shed 18,700 jobs in December after seven months of job gains.

Heading into the summit, Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams criticized "the whole façade of this meeting tonight, the whole way that this is being set up" because a dinner party is no place to tackle the economy.

"To do that on a Friday night over cocktails is not the way to do it as far as I'm concerned," Williams said. "It's been 24 months since we were (last) at Sussex Drive. It's been 24 months, more importantly, since there's been (a first ministers meeting)," he said. "So it's been very, very shaped and formed so there'll be minimum output and minimum impact. I think maybe a Weekend at Bernie's might be more productive," said Williams, referring to the 1989 comedy hit where two hapless friends try to pretend their slain boss is still alive by traipsing around with his corpse.

Quebec Premier Jean Charest said Harper did not budge on his decision to make $1 billion in community aid for hard-hit workers part of the federal budget and, therefore, contingent upon Parliament's approval.

But Charest said there was general agreement on the brewing recession fears.

"We had a very good discussion, so in that sense it was positive. We'll have to wait and see what the outcome of that discussion will be."

Manitoba Premier Gary Doer said the true test of last night's meeting would be found in the upcoming federal budget – and whether Ottawa has acted on provincial demands for action on the economy.

"The proof is in the pudding, and the pudding wasn't in the dessert. It will be in the budget," he said.

Doer denied reports that the dinner discussion had been contentious at times as premiers pressed their case that the federal government should be doing more to tackle the brewing economic woes confronting the nation.

"There was a lot achieved in terms of having a nice meal and getting together. What happens now is going to be important," British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell said.

Harper plans to write to the premiers individually to advise them of what Ottawa is doing specifically for every province and territory.

"It was a very productive meeting, there was much dialogue," said New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham.

Graham noted the four-hour discussion was dominated by the economy, but the first ministers discussed the Senate for five minutes at the end of the dinner.

Nova Scotia Premier Rodney MacDonald said the atmosphere throughout dinner was "extremely friendly and respectful."

If there were frustrations felt, they weren't expressed, he said.