First ministers meeting produces unfamiliar but encouraging sense of optimism

Winnipeg Free Press

2 days ago

Opinion
What happened in Saskatoon this week hasn't been seen in Canadian politics for a long time.
Other than the early days of crisis management around the COVID-19 pandemic, one probably has to go back to the 1990s to remember when a federal-provincial gathering ended on such an optimistic, even collaborative, note.
No angry premiers storming out. No federal lectures about jurisdiction. And, most surprisingly, no perennial squabbling over federal transfer payments.
Premier of Manitoba Wab Kinew, left to right, Prime Minister Mark Carney, Premier of Nova Scotia Tim Houston, Premier of Québec François Legault, Premier of New Brunswick Susan Holt, and Premier of the Northwest Territories R.J. Simpson during the First Minister's Meeting in Saskatoon on Monday, June 2, 2025. (Liam Richards / The Canadian Press files)
Instead, what we got from Monday's first ministers meeting, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, was something bordering on unity: a clear, collective voice emerging on economic growth, diversification and reducing our overwhelming reliance on exports to the United States.
The tone and substance of the meeting marked a striking departure from the norm.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, never one to sugar-coat, called it 'the best first ministers conference I've ever attended.' Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston echoed the sentiment, describing the tone as 'forward-looking and respectful.'
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said the plan has the potential to help lower-income Canadians through better access to jobs and education. He also praised Canadians for coming together to help fight the wildfires in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
Even Alberta Premier Danielle Smith — often the federal government's most combative critic —expressed something bordering on praise.
'I was encouraged by Prime Minister Carney's tone and his willingness to make Canada an energy superpower again,' Smith said after the meeting, adding that Carney's openness to pipeline infrastructure could signal a thaw in one of Confederation's chilliest relationships.
This first ministers meeting was not only civil, it was productive.
Let's pause for a moment on that. Smith, who has floated the idea of Alberta holding a referendum on separation from Canada and spent the better part of two years verbally sparring with Ottawa, was 'encouraged.' That word doesn't get tossed around lightly in federal-Alberta relations.
This first ministers meeting was not only civil, it was productive. A shared agreement was struck on a pan-Canadian approach to economic growth that includes building internal trade, exploring new international markets and improving infrastructure to support the next generation of Canadian exports — from clean energy to oil and gas.
Perhaps most significantly, all of this came without the usual baggage. The premiers, often quick to complain that federal health transfers aren't sufficient, didn't dwell on the matter this time. Nor did the federal government offer any veiled constitutional reminders about jurisdictions or fiscal restraint.
Instead, the agenda was refreshingly forward-looking. Canada's heavy dependence on the U.S. as a trading partner has long been a sore spot for economists and policy-makers alike.
The desire to diversify is not new. But what's new is the broad agreement among provinces and the feds that now is the time to do something about it, together.
The former Bank of Canada governor may be green in political years, but it's clear he's brought with him a measured, professional tone that provinces seem to appreciate.
Carney, in one of his first major tests as prime minister, showed calm conviction. The former Bank of Canada governor may be green in political years, but it's clear he's brought with him a measured, professional tone that provinces seem to appreciate. Not grandstanding. Not lecturing. Just listening, and leading.
Even on the thorny issue of pipelines, Carney appears to have found a middle path. While not promising specific projects, he indicated an openness to the idea that oil and gas infrastructure, if done responsibly and with environmental safeguards, could play a role in Canada's economic growth.
What was missing from the conference was representation from Indigenous leaders. They still do not have a seat at the federal-provincial table, which is wrong. There are treaty and other constitutional obligations regarding Indigenous people that need to be considered when fast-tracking large-scale projects, including affected lands and waterways located on treaty territory.
Indigenous leaders have a right to be at the table to discuss those issues.
Still, Monday's gathering showed that when leaders stop shouting past each other, progress is possible.
It helps, too, that the economic stakes are high. Canada is entering a pivotal period where global trade dynamics are shifting: wars in Europe and the Middle East, increased protectionism in the U.S. and the green transition accelerating in Asia and Europe. If Canada doesn't adapt, it risks being left behind.
This was a first ministers meeting that set a new tone… and potentially a new standard… for how this country could move forward, together.
There will still be battles ahead, of course. Not every premier sees eye to eye on carbon pricing, energy transition or the pace of decarbonization. Some, like Quebec's François Legault, are still wary of federal overreach. And it's unlikely Smith's rhetoric on sovereignty has been permanently shelved.
But the fact that the premiers and the prime minister emerged from a daylong meeting with a shared sense of purpose — and not just a vague commitment to 'work together' — is something rare enough to celebrate.
Maybe it's the Carney effect. Maybe it's the Trump threat. Or, perhaps, it's just economic pragmatism finally prevailing over political theatre. Either way, this was a first ministers meeting that set a new tone — and potentially a new standard — for how this country could move forward, together.
Let's hope it lasts.
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Tom BrodbeckColumnist
Tom Brodbeck is a columnist with the Free Press and has over 30 years experience in print media. He joined the Free Press in 2019. Born and raised in Montreal, Tom graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and commerce. Read more about Tom.
Tom provides commentary and analysis on political and related issues at the municipal, provincial and federal level. His columns are built on research and coverage of local events. The Free Press's editing team reviews Tom's columns before they are posted online or published in print – part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
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