The Council of the Federation works to promote co-operation and closer ties between members, fostering meaningful relations between governments. This page provides program details for the most recent meetings and contextual background related to the importance of these meetings and value to the taxpayer.

BACKGROUNDER

The Council of the Federation was created in 2003 to promote provincial-territorial co-operation and closer ties between members, foster meaningful relations between governments based on respect for the Constitution and recognition of the diversity within the federation, and show leadership on issues important to all Canadians.

The chair of the Council of the Federation is rotated among the 10 provinces. 2011 was the first time that British Columbia acted as chair of the Council of the Federation, although Council of the Federation meetings have been held in British Columbia previously. Annual meetings have been held since the organization creation in 2003. Prior to that time, premiers held the Annual Premiers’ Conference, the first of which was in 1960. This is often the only opportunity for all premiers to be together during the year.

It is customary for the host jurisdiction to host working dinners for the premiers and delegates during the event. For example, Premier Darrell Dexter held a dinner for premiers when he hosted them this year in Nova Scotia, as did Premier Selinger when he hosted them in Winnipeg the previous year.  

These working dinners are a well-established element of these events. In addition to conducting business and discussing common issues not on the formal agenda, dinners are used to set the tone for the conference and allow relationship-building in a less formal and more private setting. Venues are chosen to highlight the local culture and cuisine, and also need to be conducive to holding private discussions. Working dinners for members of the delegation are also held.

British Columbia last hosted in 2001, and was pleased to host Canada’s premiers to British Columbia for the annual meeting of the Council of the Federation July 21-22 in Vancouver, and the special COF meeting from Jan. 16-17, 2012 in Victoria.  

Summer Meeting Dinners

• On July 20, 2011, premiers attended a dinner at the Blue Water Cafe in Vancouver. The total bill was $2,094.63 for the 12 premiers and one minister representing the Province of Quebec in attendance. This totals $161 per guest, including tax and gratuity (approximately 25 per cent of the costs in each case). The meeting provided premiers with the opportunity to have a discussion prior to the formal meeting the next day and preview some the key agenda items

• Only July 20, 2011, chiefs of staff attended a dinner at Cioppino’s Grill in Vancouver. The total bill was $2,256.34. This totals $161 per person, including tax and gratuity for the 14 in attendance and provided the opportunity for chiefs of staff to continue have discussions in a private setting. This provided chiefs of staff an opportunity to meet as a group and establish relationships to facilitate implementation of premiers’ discussions.   

• On July 20, 2011, Intergovernmental Relations deputy ministers representing each of the 13 jurisdictions attended a dinner at C Restaurant with a total bill of $1,355.48 including tax and gratuity, or $104 per deputy minister. This provided deputy ministers with the opportunity to meet as a group and discuss planning and expectations for the following day.
  

January Meeting Dinners

• On Jan. 15, 2011, premiers attended a dinner at Ferris’ Oyster Bar, a locally owned Victoria restaurant. The total bill was $1,326.89 for the 13 premiers in attendance. This totals $102 per premier, including tax and gratuity, and provided the opportunity for premiers to begin their discussions from the COF meeting in a private setting. This was the first opportunity for premiers to have a discussion as a group following the federal finance minister’s controversial announcement on fiscal transfers.

• On Jan. 16, 2012, premiers attended a dinner at Zambri’s, a locally owned Victoria restaurant. The total bill was $1,758.25 for the 13 premiers in attendance. This totals $135 per person, including tax and gratuity, and was ordered, unchanged from Zambri’s private function menu: http://www.zambris.ca//uploads/pdf/zambris-is-italian.pdf. It gave an opportunity for premiers to continue discussions from earlier in the day and preview the discussions for the next day.  

• On Jan. 16, 2012, chiefs of staff from all provinces and territories attended dinner at Ferris’ Oyster Bar, a locally owned Victoria restaurant. The total bill was $1,940.77 for the 13 chiefs of staff in attendance. This totals $149 per person, including tax and gratuity. This provided chiefs of staff an opportunity to meet as a group and establish relationships to facilitate implementation of premiers’ discussions.

Some of the outcomes from the COF summer meeting included:

• Release of a consensus strategy entitled Canada in the Global Economy. The four-point strategy outlined specific actions to harness the common and individual strengths of provinces and territories and help position Canada strongly in the global economy. It has been downloaded from the COF website approximately 50,000 times since its release;

• Release of an International Education Marketing Action Plan, which identified opportunities for federal-provincial-territorial collaboration on marketing aiming at increasing the number of international students studying in Canada, and Canada’s share of the international student market.

•  Premiers agreed to a COF joint mission to Asia, currently underway in China.

At the summer meeting, premiers also agreed to hold a special meeting focused on health care sustainability in early 2012. This January COF meeting in Victoria resulted in:

• Creation of a working group of premiers/ministers on health innovation to drive collaboration and innovation that would lead to better services to Canadians. Focus: collaboration on the supply and demand of health-care professionals; scope of practice of health-care practitioners; and guidelines for clinical practices to accelerate the adoption of best practices in Canada.

• Creation of a working group of premiers/ministers on fiscal arrangements to conduct joint analysis of the impact of the federal decision on the Canada Social Transfer, Canada Health Transfer, equalization.

The work begun in Victoria resulted in the public release by premiers of two reports at the summer meeting in Halifax this past August. Further information can be found at: www.councilofthefederation.com

Provinces and territories combined health budgets exceed $200 billion annually, and the fiscal transfers discussed by premiers amount to approximately a combined $52 billion annually to provincial budgets.

NEW WEST PARTNERSHIP

Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan launched the New West Partnership in 2010, creating an economic powerhouse of nine million people with a combined GDP of about $500 billion. This ambitious agreement creates Canada’s largest interprovincial barrier-free trade and investment market. More detail on New West Partnership can be found at their website:  http://www.newwestpartnership.ca.

Premiers Clark, Redford and Wall have recently held successful events at the World Economic Forum in Tianjin, China during the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions. The World Economic Forum attracts approximately 1,500 of the world's top business executives and government leaders.

Premiers of the three provinces have met three times, including launching the Partnership in 2010: once in Regina; once in Vancouver (April 30, 2011) and once in Edmonton (Dec. 13, 2011). Meetings usually rotate between the three provinces.

The meeting in Vancouver, Premier Clark’s first meeting, was followed by a private dinner at Bishop’s Restaurant in Vancouver for the three premiers, totalling $347.11 including tax and gratuity, or $116 per premier. British Columbia also hosted the delegations of the three provinces at Bishop’s Restaurant, totalling $1,932.57 for 13 guests ($149 per person).

PACIFIC COAST COLLABORATIVE

The Pacific Coast Collaborative was established by the governments of B.C. and the US states of CA, OR, WA and AK in 2008 to address the unique and shared circumstances of the Pacific coastal areas and jurisdictions in North America by providing a framework for co-operative action, a forum for leadership and the sharing of information on best practices, and a common voice on issues facing coastal and Pacific jurisdictions. More info at www.pacificcoastcollaborative.org

Premier and governors met on March 13 in Vancouver for their third Annual Leaders’ Forum, hosted by B.C. Premier and chaired by WA Governor.
Main outcomes of the meeting were:

• Release of a commissioned economic analysis of the West Coast clean economy to identify the most promising markets for job creation, including energy-efficient buildings and advanced transportation. All told, the new report, West Coast Clean Economy: Opportunities for Investment & Accelerated Job Creation found that the $47-billion clean economy sector could triple in size by 2020, given the right policies and partnerships.

• Signing of 2012 Action Plan on Jobs that outlines a series of measurable commitments by each jurisdiction to advance the West Coast clean economy and create jobs 1 million new jobs by 2020.

• Signing of a workplan to work together to manage potential marine debris from the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan that may wash up along the West Coast.

Immediately following the meeting, the Premier and governors had a working dinner at Lift Bar and Grill in Vancouver, hosted by the Premier, with key B.C. and West Coast clean-economy CEOs and leaders (invitation list attached). The total bill was $2,433.60, or $102 per person. The Premier and governors then proceeded to provide the keynote address at the GLOBE Business of the Environment Conference opening reception and they spoke at opening plenary on the West Coast Clean Economy.

More Info:

• Council of the Federation Program Guide 2012
• Council of the Federation Program Guide 2011
• Council of the Federation Program Guide 2010