OTTAWA — Two of western Canada’s conservative premiers, Alberta’s Jim Prentice and Saskatchewan’s Brad Wall, are skipping this week’s premiers’ meeting in Ottawa.
B.C.’s Christy Clark says she’ll represent the West at the meeting, where the impact of sliding oil prices on the Canadian economy is expected to be a key topic of discussion.
Wall’s office says the Saskatchewan Party premier is mindful of keeping his travel costs down, and so he’ll dial into the Council of the Federation meeting.
Prentice is sending Alberta’s municipal affairs minister because the premier is currently preoccupied with the upcoming provincial budget, his office says.
Clark, a Liberal premier, says she and her western counterparts are focused on how to grow their economies by eliminating interprovincial trade barriers.
The Council of the Federation meets twice a year. Its main function is to present a united front among the 13 provinces and territories when dealing with the federal government.