Council of the Federation
Encyclopedia
The Council of the Federation is a council in Canada
made up of the premiers
of Canada's thirteen provinces and territories
. Its main function is to provide a united front amongst the provincial and territorial governments when interacting with Canada's federal government. It also promotes "constructive Confederation
", working for Canadian unity and recognizing differences amongst the various provinces and territories within Canada's federal system
of government.
The Council of the Federation
meets twice annually to discuss issues relating to Canadian intergovernmental relations – those between the provinces and territories and the federal government.
Jean Charest
who suggested it in preparation for negotiations with the federal government. The idea was (for the first time) embraced by all of the premiers, and the council was formed.
The foundation of the Council of the Federation was announced on December 5, 2003 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. This location was significant because Charlottetown was the venue for the Charlottetown Conference
in 1864 (this conference was the first step towards Canadian Confederation
).
The first true test of this united front occurred on September 13–16, 2004 when the premiers met with Prime Minister
Paul Martin
to discuss reforms to Canada's universal healthcare
program. The premiers remained united, and in the end won $41 billion of federal funding for healthcare over the next ten years.
The 2008 meetings of the Council took place in Quebec City
, which was celebrating its 400th birthday as a settlement. At the meeting all premiers agreed to amendments to the Agreement on Internal Trade
which will create greater labour mobility between the provinces and territories, and will come into force on January 1, 2009.
The 2009 meetings of the Council took place in Regina, Saskatchewan
. The Council's agenda was dominated by economic matters including trade issues with the United States
, and formulating a post-recession interprovincial economic strategy.
On February 20, 2010, the Council met with their American counterpart, the National Governors Association
, in a Washington, D.C.
hotel, for an hour long session entitled "Common Border, Common Ground" to talk about issues such as environment
and trade
. Also attending this meeting were Lisa P. Jackson
, of the United States Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), and Larry Summers, U.S. President Barack Obama
's economic advisor. The Canadian Premiers commented on how much more open the Obama administration was to confronting and solving problems, compared to his predecessor, George W. Bush
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
made up of the premiers
Premier (Canada)
In Canada, a premier is the head of government of a province or territory. There are currently ten provincial premiers and three territorial premiers in Canada....
of Canada's thirteen provinces and territories
Provinces and territories of Canada
The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second-largest country by area. There are ten provinces and three territories...
. Its main function is to provide a united front amongst the provincial and territorial governments when interacting with Canada's federal government. It also promotes "constructive Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
", working for Canadian unity and recognizing differences amongst the various provinces and territories within Canada's federal system
Canadian federalism
Canada is a federation with two distinct jurisdictions of political authority: the country-wide federal government and the ten regionally-based provincial governments. It also has three territorial governments in the far north, though these are subject to the federal government...
of government.
The Council of the Federation
Federation
A federation , also known as a federal state, is a type of sovereign state characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central government...
meets twice annually to discuss issues relating to Canadian intergovernmental relations – those between the provinces and territories and the federal government.
History
The idea for such a body had long been present, but it was Quebec PremierPremier of Quebec
The Premier of Quebec is the first minister of the Canadian province of Quebec. The Premier is the province's head of government and his title is Premier and President of the Executive Council....
Jean Charest
Jean Charest
John James "Jean" Charest, PC, MNA is a Canadian politician who has been the 29th Premier of Quebec since 2003. He was leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1993 to 1998 and has been leader of the Quebec Liberal Party since 1998....
who suggested it in preparation for negotiations with the federal government. The idea was (for the first time) embraced by all of the premiers, and the council was formed.
The foundation of the Council of the Federation was announced on December 5, 2003 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. This location was significant because Charlottetown was the venue for the Charlottetown Conference
Charlottetown Conference
The Charlottetown Conference was held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island for representatives from the colonies of British North America to discuss Canadian Confederation...
in 1864 (this conference was the first step towards Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
).
The first true test of this united front occurred on September 13–16, 2004 when the premiers met with Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Paul Martin
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
to discuss reforms to Canada's universal healthcare
Medicare (Canada)
Medicare is the unofficial name for Canada's publicly funded universal health insurance system. The formal terminology for the insurance system is provided by the Canada Health Act and the health insurance legislation of the individual provinces and territories.Under the terms of the Canada Health...
program. The premiers remained united, and in the end won $41 billion of federal funding for healthcare over the next ten years.
The 2008 meetings of the Council took place in Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
, which was celebrating its 400th birthday as a settlement. At the meeting all premiers agreed to amendments to the Agreement on Internal Trade
Canadian Agreement on Internal Trade
The Agreement on Internal Trade entered into force on July 1, 1995 and includes government departments, agencies, commissions and Crown corporations of the 10 Canadian provinces, the three territories and the federal government....
which will create greater labour mobility between the provinces and territories, and will come into force on January 1, 2009.
The 2009 meetings of the Council took place in Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
. The Council's agenda was dominated by economic matters including trade issues with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and formulating a post-recession interprovincial economic strategy.
On February 20, 2010, the Council met with their American counterpart, the National Governors Association
National Governors Association
The National Governors Association , founded in 1908 as the National Governors' Conference, is funded primarily by state dues, federal grants and contracts and private contributions. NGA represents the governors of the fifty U.S. states and five U.S. territories The National Governors Association...
, in a Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
hotel, for an hour long session entitled "Common Border, Common Ground" to talk about issues such as environment
Environmental policy
Environmental policy is any [course of] action deliberately taken [or not taken] to manage human activities with a view to prevent, reduce, or mitigate harmful effects on nature and natural resources, and ensuring that man-made changes to the environment do not have harmful effects on...
and trade
Trade
Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
. Also attending this meeting were Lisa P. Jackson
Lisa P. Jackson
Lisa Perez Jackson is an American chemical engineer currently serving as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency . Previously, she worked at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for 6 years, first as an assistant commissioner and later as commissioner...
, of the United States Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
(EPA), and Larry Summers, U.S. President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's economic advisor. The Canadian Premiers commented on how much more open the Obama administration was to confronting and solving problems, compared to his predecessor, George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
.
Issues
- Healthcare funding and innovation
- Economic development (especially in the wake of the BSEBovine spongiform encephalopathyBovine spongiform encephalopathy , commonly known as mad-cow disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease in cattle that causes a spongy degeneration in the brain and spinal cord. BSE has a long incubation period, about 30 months to 8 years, usually affecting adult cattle at a peak age onset of...
crisis) - Strengthening Confederation (working for provincial input into the selection of SenatorCanadian SenateThe Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
s and Supreme Court JusticeSupreme Court of CanadaThe Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
s) - Reaching out to young Canadians, getting them involved in the political process
- Helping those affected by emergencies
- Inter-provincial/territorial trade
- Water
Members
- Kathy DunderdaleKathy DunderdaleKathleen Mary Margaret "Kathy" Dunderdale MHA is a Canadian politician and the tenth and current Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, having served in this capacity since December 3, 2010...
– Premier of Newfoundland and LabradorPremier of Newfoundland and LabradorThe Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador is the first minister, head of government and de facto chief executive for the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Before 1964, the position's official title was Premier of Newfoundland...
, Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and LabradorProgressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and LabradorFor pre-1949 Conservative parties see Conservative parties in Newfoundland The Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is a centre-right provincial political party in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Originally founded in 1949 the party has formed the Government of... - David AlwardDavid AlwardDavid Nathan Alward is a Canadian politician, the 32nd and current Premier of New Brunswick.Alward has been a member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick since 1999 and has been the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick since 2008...
– Premier of New BrunswickPremier of New BrunswickThe Premier of New Brunswick is the first minister for the Canadian province of New Brunswick. They are the province's head of government and de facto chief executive....
, Progressive Conservative Party of New BrunswickProgressive Conservative Party of New BrunswickThe Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick is a centre-right political party in New Brunswick, Canada. It has its origins in the pre-Canadian confederation Conservative Party that opposed the granting of responsible government to the colony... - Brad WallBrad WallBradley John "Brad" Wall, MLA is a Canadian politician who has been the 14th Premier of Saskatchewan since November 21, 2007....
, Premier of SaskatchewanPremier of SaskatchewanThe Premier of Saskatchewan is the first minister for the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. They are the province's head of government and de facto chief executive....
, Saskatchewan PartySaskatchewan PartyThe Saskatchewan Party is a conservative liberal political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The party was established in 1997 by a coalition of former provincial Progressive Conservative and Liberal party members and supporters who sought to remove the Saskatchewan New Democratic... - Christy ClarkChristy ClarkChristina Joan "Christy" Clark, MLA is a Canadian politician, the 35th and current Premier of British Columbia, Canada...
, Premier of British ColumbiaPremier of British ColumbiaThe Premier of British Columbia is the first minister, head of government, and de facto chief executive for the Canadian province of British Columbia. Until the early 1970s the title Prime Minister of British Columbia was often used...
, Liberal Party of British Columbia - Jean CharestJean CharestJohn James "Jean" Charest, PC, MNA is a Canadian politician who has been the 29th Premier of Quebec since 2003. He was leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1993 to 1998 and has been leader of the Quebec Liberal Party since 1998....
, Vice-Chair, Premier of QuébecPremier of QuebecThe Premier of Quebec is the first minister of the Canadian province of Quebec. The Premier is the province's head of government and his title is Premier and President of the Executive Council....
, Québec Liberal Party - Greg Selinger, Premier of ManitobaPremier of ManitobaThe Premier of Manitoba is the first minister for the Canadian province of Manitoba. He or she is the province's head of government and de facto chief executive. Until the early 1970s, the title "Prime Minister of Manitoba" was used frequently. Afterwards, the word Premier, derived from the French...
, New Democratic Party of ManitobaNew Democratic Party of ManitobaThe New Democratic Party of Manitoba is a social-democratic political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is the provincial wing of the federal New Democratic Party, and is a successor to the Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation... - Dennis FentieDennis FentieDennis G. Fentie, MLA is a Canadian politician. He was the seventh Premier of Yukon and leader of the Yukon Party, serving from 2002 to 2011, as well as the MLA for Watson Lake.-Background:...
, Premier of YukonPremier of YukonThe Premier of Yukon is the first minister for the Canadian territory of Yukon. They are the territory's head of government and de facto chief executive, although their powers are considerably smaller than that of a provincial premier.From 1978 to 1990 and from 1992 to 1996, the term Government... - Robert GhizRobert GhizRobert Watson Joseph Ghiz, MLA is a Canadian politician who has been the 31st Premier of Prince Edward Island since 2007...
, Premier of Prince Edward IslandPremier of Prince Edward IslandThe Premier of Prince Edward Island is the first minister for the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. They are the province's head of government and de facto chief executive.The current Premier of Prince Edward Island is Robert Ghiz.-See also:...
, Liberal Party of Prince Edward Island - Floyd RolandFloyd RolandFloyd K. Roland, MLA is a politician from Northwest Territories, Canada. He was the 11th Premier of the Northwest Territories, having held office from October 17, 2007 to October 26, 2011....
, Premier of the Northwest TerritoriesPremier of the Northwest TerritoriesThe Premier of the Northwest Territories is the first minister for the Northwest Territories,Canada. He or she is the territory's head of government and de facto chief executive, although the powers of the office are considerably less than those of a provincial premier.Unlike provincial premiers,... - Darrell DexterDarrell DexterDarrell Dexter is a Canadian lawyer, journalist and former naval officer who is serving as the 27th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. A member of the New Democratic Party, he has led the Nova Scotia NDP since 2001. He was elected Premier in 2009 after defeating...
, Premier of Nova ScotiaPremier of Nova ScotiaThe Premier of Nova Scotia is the first minister for the Canadian province of Nova Scotia who presides over the Executive Council of Nova Scotia. Following the Westminster system, the premier is normally the leader of the political party which has the most seats in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly...
, New Democratic Party of Nova Scotia - Dalton McGuintyDalton McGuintyDalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario....
, Premier of OntarioPremier of OntarioThe Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...
, Liberal Party of Ontario - Eva Aariak, Premier of NunavutPremier of NunavutThe Premier of Nunavut is the first minister for the Canadian territory of Nunavut. They are the territory's head of government and de facto chief executive, although their powers are considerably smaller than that of a provincial premier....
- Ed StelmachEd StelmachEdward Michael "Ed" Stelmach, MLA is a Canadian politician and served as the 13th Premier of Alberta, Canada, from 2006 to 2011. The grandson of Ukrainian immigrants, Stelmach was born and raised on a farm near Lamont and speaks fluent Ukrainian. He spent his entire pre-political adult life as a...
, Premier of AlbertaPremier of AlbertaThe Premier of Alberta is the first minister for the Canadian province of Alberta. He or she is the province's head of government and de facto chief executive. The current Premier of Alberta is Alison Redford. She became Premier by winning the Progressive Conservative leadership elections on...
, Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta
Recent announcements
See also
- First Ministers' conference
- Politics of CanadaPolitics of CanadaThe politics of Canada function within a framework of parliamentary democracy and a federal system of parliamentary government with strong democratic traditions. Canada is a constitutional monarchy, in which the Monarch is head of state...
- Political culture of CanadaPolitical culture of CanadaCanadian political culture is in some ways part of a greater North American and European political culture, which emphasizes constitutional law, freedom of religion, personal liberty, and regional autonomy; these ideas stemming in various degrees from the British common law and French civil law...
- Council of Australian GovernmentsCouncil of Australian GovernmentsThe Council of Australian Governments is an organisation consisting of the federal government, the governments of the six states and two mainland territories and the Australian Local Government Association. It was established in May 1992 after agreement by the then Prime Minister, Premiers and...
- National Governors AssociationNational Governors AssociationThe National Governors Association , founded in 1908 as the National Governors' Conference, is funded primarily by state dues, federal grants and contracts and private contributions. NGA represents the governors of the fifty U.S. states and five U.S. territories The National Governors Association...