Premiers Meeting to Work on Issues Facing Canadians, Op-ed

NOTE: The following is an op-ed piece by Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter, outgoing chair of the Council of the Federation

As I prepare to attend the next meeting of Canada's Premiers, I'm reflecting on what is accomplished when premiers come together. I'm sometimes asked if it these meetings are useful and how they benefit Nova Scotians.

As chair of the Council of the Federation, over the past year I have worked with premiers to improve on issues that are important to Nova Scotians, including health care, jobs and the economy.

A very tangible example of what we achieve by working together is the millions saved through the premiers' generic drug initiative, work that began last July in Halifax. This initiative will save taxpayers up to $100 million – money that can be directed toward important programs and services for Canadians.

This past September, I led premiers and businesses on a trade mission to China. It was an important opportunity to advance Nova Scotia's relationship with key Chinese government and business leaders. Together with business and post-secondary leaders I promoted Nova Scotia's unique offerings in education, training, transportation, the Atlantic gateway and research and innovation to growing Chinese markets.

Our focus on increasing trade, growing the economy and creating jobs continued as Nova Scotia hosted the Premiers' International Economic Forum in November, where former Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney provided an update on the outlook for the global and Canadian economies. During that meeting, premiers discussed the critical factors to ensuring continued job growth and economic prosperity.

Recently, I've been meeting with businesses, students, apprentices and industry to get their views on how to maximize opportunities for Nova Scotians in the area of skills development. This issue is at the forefront as I head into the next premiers' meeting, particularly with the upcoming renegotiation of federal/provincial skills and labour market agreements, as well as the recent federal announcement of the Canada Job Grant.

Premiers are collectively asking whether a unilaterally imposed federal "solution" makes sense for provinces with unique private sector needs. To date, provinces have not been consulted on the design of this program. We don't know exactly what this means for Nova Scotians because we haven't been invited to discuss the details. I hope this will change.

What I do know is that businesses will be expected to share the cost of this program, raising concerns that small to medium-sized businesses, like many businesses in Nova Scotia, will not be able to afford to participate.

Atlantic Premiers have already voiced our concerns to the federal government about the jobs grant, as well as unilateral changes to the Employment Insurance Program - changes we believe are harming the livelihood of workers and businesses that rely on a seasonal economy. We have commissioned a study to better understand the impacts of EI changes and I'll update premiers on this work. While we recognize changes may be needed, these programs must work for people in all parts of the country.

While with my colleagues, I'll also share information on the Atlantic Workforce Partnership, an initiative that is making Atlantic Canada a national leader in the reform of apprenticeship and training programs. We are strengthening apprenticeship to make sure Atlantic Canadians can gain the skills they need and we have a well-trained workforce to support our growing economy.

Nova Scotia is on the verge of unprecedented economic opportunities. Working with other provinces to improve skills and jobs programs is all part of making sure people are ready for the jobs coming from major projects, like energy transmission, ship building, and offshore energy.

I have been proud to serve as chair of the Council of the Federation, and I am very pleased with our achievements and progress. I look forward to continued collaboration with my fellow Premiers in the best interests of Nova Scotians and all Canadians.