Executive Council
November 29, 2010
Communiqué from 18th
Session of the Council of Atlantic Premiers
Atlantic premiers today committed to
renew and strengthen cooperation by advancing common positions on
national issues and exploring opportunities to realize direct benefits
for citizens of all four provinces.
Premiers agreed on the need to explore
ways to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of public services and
to examine additional opportunities for joint procurement of goods and
services.
Premier Darrell Dexter chaired the
meeting that was attended by his Atlantic colleagues, Premiers David
Alward of New Brunswick, Danny Williams of Newfoundland and Labrador,
and Robert Ghiz of Prince Edward Island.
Premiers welcomed Premier David Alward to
his first meeting of the council. The premiers took this opportunity to
thank Premier Williams for his substantial contribution to the success
of the council and the prosperity of the Atlantic region and to wish him
well in his future endeavours.
Atlantic Renewable Energy Cooperation
The term sheet between Newfoundland and Labrador's Nalcor Energy and
Nova Scotia's Emera Inc. to develop the first phase of the Lower
Churchill Project and connect it to the Maritime Provinces will provide
clean, renewable energy to the region and contribute to a reduction in
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from electricity generation.
The letter of intent between Emera Inc.
and NB Power provides a framework for enhancing both provinces'
transmission capacity, and the agreement reached between NB Power and
Maritime Electric will provide energy to PEI at stable and predictable
prices.
Each of these arrangements enhances the
potential of the Atlantic Provinces to become an energy powerhouse that
can supply clean energy to not only Atlantic Canada, but also Eastern
Canada and the Northeastern United States.
Realizing the full potential for energy
development in Atlantic Canada will require greater integration of
Atlantic Canada's energy networks. The Atlantic Energy Gateway (AEG)
initiative is providing an opportunity to explore key issues facing the
region's electricity sector, including the economic benefits of regional
system planning, market opportunities in the emerging green energy
sector, regulatory issues, and research and development opportunities.
Premiers look forward to reviewing the recommendations that will arise
from this work.
Premiers directed their ministers
responsible for energy to finalize the terms of reference for the
Atlantic Energy Gateway initiative and proceed with the studies in
support of regional cooperation on developing clean and renewable energy
in the region.
The Atlantic premiers welcomed the
Federal Government's support for the AEG initiative and feel strongly
that it should continue to be an important partner in the process of
developing new energy resources and system integration to meet the
industrial, economic and environmental goals of the Atlantic region and
Canada.
Sustainable and Quality Health Care
and Federal Transfer Renewal
Premiers acknowledged the successes of regional cooperation in health
care, such as the Atlantic Common Drug Review and the Atlantic Radiation
Therapy MOU, and agreed that Atlantic Canada must continue to build on
these efforts. They directed their ministers responsible for health to
explore means of sustaining the quality and improving the efficiency and
effectiveness of health care delivery and to report back at the next
Council meeting.
Equally important to the discussion on
health care was the renewal of federal transfers as provinces and
territories operate in an environment of declining revenues and rising
costs. The Federal Government has indicated that the current
arrangements for Equalization, the Canada Health Transfer (CHT), the
Canada Social Transfer (CST) and the Equal-Per-Jurisdiction base funding
(EPJ) will expire on March 31, 2014. The renewal of these transfers will
have significant impact on each province's capacity to continue to
provide essential health, education and social services to their
citizens.
The Council of Atlantic Premiers
committed to work together to ensure the stability, predictability and
adequacy of future federal transfers while acknowledging the unique
characteristics of each province.
Employment Insurance
The Council of Atlantic Premiers shared concerns about the expiry of a
number of long-standing Employment Insurance pilot projects, as the
termination of these projects will negatively impact unemployed persons
and will reduce the labour supply for seasonal industries.
Premiers called on the Federal Government
to make the Extended EI Benefits, Best of 14 Weeks,
Working-While-on-Claim and the New/Re-Entrants pilot projects permanent
features of the Employment Insurance system.
Premiers agreed on the importance of
providing appropriate training opportunities for Atlantic Canada's
workforce to address specific needs and skill shortages in the region.
The Council of Atlantic Premiers feels
strongly that the Federal Government must ensure that efforts to reduce
federal deficits do not result in a diminishment of its capacity to
respond appropriately to local needs and circumstances.
Immigration
A responsive federal immigration policy is necessary to assist provinces
that are experiencing slower population growth. Atlantic premiers are
concerned that federal immigration policies are not taking into
consideration the specific needs of the Atlantic provinces. As a first
step, the Atlantic premiers call on the Federal Government to remove the
cap on their Provincial Nominee Programs.
Canada-European Union Comprehensive
Economic and Trade Agreement
Premiers discussed the status of ongoing negotiations towards a
comprehensive economic and trade agreement between Canada and the
European Union. The negotiations provide an opportunity to deal with
outstanding trade irritants including tariff and non-tariff barriers to
Canadian fish, seafood and frozen agricultural food products. Premiers
agreed to write to the Federal Government to urge them to negotiate the
removal of these trade irritants to ensure real market access to Europe.
Venture Capital
Entrepreneurism is key to regional economic growth and diversification.
Premiers directed their ministers to investigate opportunities for
mutual benefit from an Atlantic Canada regional venture capital fund.
Next Meeting
Premier Alward invited his Atlantic colleagues to attend the next
meeting of the Council of Atlantic Premiers, which will be held May
15-16, 2011 in Sussex, New Brunswick.
For further information, please
contact:
Janet Lynn McNeil, Office of the Premier, Nova Scotia 902-237-4287
Elizabeth Matthews, Office of the Premier, Newfoundland and Labrador
709-729-3960
Jesse Robichaud, Office of the Premier, New Brunswick 506-444-3631
Geoff Townsend, Office of the Premier, Prince Edward Island 902-368-4400
2010 11 29
3:15 p.m.
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