Sustaining boom focus of western premiers meeting, Wall says
Getting ready to host his first western premiers conference, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall says he wants to focus on sustaining the West's economic boom and working on issues of common interest.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Western Canada," Wall said.
"There's the opportunity … to really co-operate on important environmental issues related to energy development and on enhanced oil recovery, energy security, those kind of things."
Leaders from the western provinces and northern territories were arriving in Prince Albert on Wednesday.
Labour shortages, a housing shortage and climate change are some of the other issues western leaders will be dealing with Thursday and Friday, he said.
The leaders won't necessarily agree on how to reduce greenhouse gases, noted Wall. B.C. recently introduced a carbon tax, which Wall does not favour.
Some of Wall's comments were echoed by Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach, who also said he wants the provinces to keep enjoying the economic good times.
For the first time in many years, Alberta is sandwiched between non-NDP governments on either side — Gordon Campbell's Liberals in B.C. and to the east, Wall's Saskatchewan Party.
Stelmach is promoting what he calls the "new West," believing that Western Canada's economic influence continues to grow.
"The U.S. downturn in their economy has put tremendous economic pressures on many of our provinces, especially Ontario and Manitoba, so really the new West truly is the formula — one that's driving the Canadian economy," he said.
Stelmach wants to rally more support to eliminate trade and mobility barriers. He also hopes to generate more interest in carbon capture and storage technology, he said.
The conference is attended by premiers and officials from Saskatchewan, Manitoba, British Columbia, Alberta, Northwest Territories, the Yukon and Nunavut.
0 comments:
Post a Comment