Canada’s Western Premiers’ Conference 2003

NEWS RELEASE – WESTERN PREMIERS PURSUE CANADIAN REFORM

KELOWNA, British Columbia

June 10, 2003

Western Premiers today are united in support of a package of reforms aimed at modernizing Confederation for the benefit of all Canadians.

Premiers noted that there are many improvements that can be made to our Canadian Confederation that do not involve changing the Canadian Constitution. They further agreed that it is possible and desirable to institute meaningful reforms today that will better serve the interests of all Canadians.

Specifically, Western Premiers agreed to pursue reforms:

       
  1. Regular annual First Ministers’ meetings, with agendas that are jointly determined between Premiers and the Prime Minister, and standing items on health, trade, finance, justice and the economy.  

       
  2.    
  3. Provinces and Territories should be full participants in international discussions related to their ownership of natural resources and to trade, which will have a direct impact on areas of provincial and territorial jurisdiction and economies. An agreement on provincial-territorial participation in negotiations will ensure international agreements are realistic, affordable and acceptable to all provinces and territories.    

       
  4.    
  5. Northern devolution agreements with the Northwest Territories and Nunavut to arrange for the transfer of powers over northern lands, water and resources, including a fair share of resource revenues. Premiers agreed that the Territories, similar to provinces, should manage and control the scope and pace of development of their resources and must benefit from this development, in order to create strong, self-reliant territories that contribute to the benefit of all Canadians.  

       
  6.    
  7. New institutional arrangements aimed at harmonizing intergovernmental regulatory regimes and eliminating duplication and overlap in areas of shared jurisdiction.  

       
  8.    
  9. Provinces and territories should be consulted on federal appointments, including Senatorial appointments, that affect their jurisdictions.

       

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