Hugging PM greets premiers with open arms

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This article was published 23/11/2015 (3609 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA — One by one, the premiers of Canada emerged from behind a curtain, walked towards Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and received a hearty embrace.

There were big smiles, hugs, handshakes and a pose for the camera.

Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger walked away joking to his staff he had never been hugged by a prime minister before.

Hugging — which Trudeau admitted the day he was sworn in as Canada’s 43rd prime minister Nov. 4 is his thing — was just one of the many signs there is a new sheriff in town as Canada’s first ministers met as a group for the first time in almost seven years.

Former prime minister Stephen Harper preferred to meet with the premiers individually rather than as a group and did not attend a first ministers meeting after Jan. 16, 2009.

There was a clear air of collegiality among the premiers, the vast majority of whom share the same political stripes. Six of the nine provincial premiers in attendance are from Liberal governments and two head up NDP governments.

Prior to a briefing from climate change scientists, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley was called on by Trudeau to speak about her new climate change plan and carbon tax, announced Sunday.

Notley used much of her time to applaud the Trudeau government for holding the meeting and showing leadership on climate change, speaking of the “new tone” Trudeau has set for the federal government and the “new substance” of discussions under his leadership.

Selinger said there was a definite feeling of goodwill around the table, led in part by the newness of the government as premiers and Trudeau work to get to know each other. But he said the premiers are also responding to the leadership style Trudeau is bringing to the table.

“Personalities and a willingness to co-operate are a big factor as well,” Selinger said.

He said he had good individual meetings with Harper but that sometimes having the group together is very useful. Selinger and the Harper government clashed many times, in particular over an immigration agreement, health care funding and infrastructure. They are things Manitoba is hoping will be less confrontational with the Trudeau government.

Selinger has been the premier for six years yet he has never sat at a true first ministers’ meeting. The only premier in attendance Monday who was there in January 2009 was Saskatchewan’s Brad Wall, who is the head of the right-leaning Saskatchewan Party.

Wall said as long as people are mindful of the stress on the energy industry from low oil prices as they prepare the climate change strategy, he is on board.

On premiers’ meetings, Wall said he isn’t in favour of annual meetings just for the sake of having them but said when there is a specific topic to be discussed, such as climate change, he is on board.

“We’re going to talk very specifically about Canada’s plan going to Paris,” he said. “I think that’s very important for the prime minister to meet with the premiers, and I thank him for doing that.”

Trudeau has committed to at least an annual first ministers’ meeting, however, and there may be more. Another one is planned in about three months to set an emissions target, as well as discuss the economy, infrastructure and health care.

mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca