Only two premiers were in attendance at the 47th annual conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers in Vermont earlier this week.
Only Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston and Rob Lantz of PEI attended this year’s event, with the premiers of Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick and Quebec notably absent.
Just one governor – of host state Vermont – was present.
Until recently, the annual gathering was considered a significant opportunity for leaders on either side of the border to work on issues of mutual interest, however many leaders – and pundits – no longer see it that way.
The Trump administration’s continued trade dispute with Canada has dampened enthusiasm for what was once seen as a relationship-building exercise according to political scientist Alex Marland of Acadia University.
“If you’ve got the President of the United States engaging in rhetoric about Canada, and obviously there’s the trade war going on,” Marland told the Tim Powers Show, “and on top of that, a lot of negotiations are occurring at high levels with people in the Prime Minister’s Office, including Prime Minister Carney, it really lowers the ability for people who are kind of at a lower level of political office – and there’s not a lot they can really accomplish.”
“The whole point of getting together is to try to move things forward. It’s a little hard to do when you’re kind of in a strait jacket.”
(VOCM News)
The Premier’s Office says that while Tony Wakeham was unable to attend the recent meeting of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers, officials from the provincial government were in attendance.
In a statement to VOCM News, the Premier’s Office says other government officials were there to collaborate with the other provinces and states.
The Premier says the meetings are important, and work on “regional innovation and economic competitiveness” is a main focus for all those involved.
Wakeham noted that he hosted a meeting in this province last November.
