Canadian Government Executive - Volume 24 - Issue 06

34 / Canadian Government Executive // December 2018/January 2019 MULTI-LEVEL GOVERNMENTS prime minister, the agenda is often the fo- cus of contention. The prime minister – or better stated the Prime Minister’s Office – sets it himself. And, as evidenced in 2018, the other first ministers receive the agenda with short notice; while politically expedi- ent for the federal prime minister, such a practice fails to treat and respect the pro- vincial and territorial leaders as full part- ners in the federation. Setting the agenda does not mean com- pletely ignoring the interventions of the other leaders. In 2017, for example, provin- cial and territorial premiers successfully pressured the federal government to add certain items, most notably the proposed changes to the small business tax regime. Adjustments indicate a willingness to lis- ten, compromise, and adapt – behaviours that are necessary to govern a federation. Contrast the relative lack of formalism and the tradition of unilateralism in FMMs with the practices cultivated by the provin- cial and territorial premiers. Meetings of the provincial premiers were launched in 1887 and became an an- nual event starting in 1960. In 2003, the premiers further institutionalized their arrangements by creating the Council of the Federation. Established by a found- ing agreement, the Council meets at least twice a year, abides by a rotating chair schedule, with the agenda being devel- oped through a consensus of all 13 provin- cial and territorial premiers. Supported by a Steering Committee of Deputy Ministers and a small permanent secretariat, the Council is intended to enable the Premiers to “play a leadership role in revitalizing the Canadian federation and building a more constructive and cooperative fed- eral system” (Council of the Federation 2003). While the prime minister is always invited, to date, none have attended. In July 2018, however, newly appointed In- tergovernmental Affairs Minister Domi- nic LeBlanc chose to accept the invitation, saying it gave him the opportunity “just to at least formally say hi.” 3 It remains to be seen whether this new willingness on the part of the federal government to more for- mally engage in the Council of the Federa- tion will be a one-off occurrence or the first steps towards a new dynamic in intergov- ernmental relations in the country. (Un)Tapped Potential Even in this digital age, experts from psy- chology, business, and international affairs (to say nothing of political scientists, soci- ologists, and anthropologists) confirm that managing a successful team requires per- sonal connections. Governing a federation requires the building and maintaining of relationships. While time consuming and easy to dis- miss as elite hobnobbing, face-to-face in- teractions help build trust, foster a sense of a shared mission, and potentially in- crease empathy. First Ministers’ Meetings are not only about the leaders. First Minis- ters Meetings are also about their political and bureaucratic officials who accompany them. Meetings where they are all togeth- er around a shared table create the oppor- tunity where it is no longer just about their specific jurisdiction or individual concern in a bilateral relationship with the federal government. FMMs also create the space for Canadians to think about the federa- tion, for journalists to report on it, and for the federal, provincial and territorial ju- risdictions to educate one another about our individual and collective conditions. Therefore, rather than mothballing the practice, it should be embraced, strength- ened and enhanced. References: 1. ‘At Issue: December 6 2018’ https://www.cbc.ca/player/ play/1390999107785 2. In 2012, the Toronto Star reported that Premier Dalton McGuinty had a secret meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper to ask for federal assistance in devel- oping the Ring of Fire in north- western Ontario. The meeting was not listed on Premier Mc- Guinty’s detailed daily itinerary. (https://www.thestar.com/news/ canada/2012/05/24/premier_dal- ton_mcguinty_seeks_stephen_ harpers_help_to_develop_ontari- os_ring_of_fire.html) 3. Laura Stone, ‘Tory whisperer’ Dominic LeBlanc to spearhead Ottawa’s provincial relations in new role. Globe and Mail. July 18, 2018 - https://www.theglobean - dmail.com/politics/article-tory- whisperer-dominic-leblanc-to- spearhead-ottawas-provincial/ J enn W allner is an Associate Profes- sor with the School of Political Stud- ies at the University of Ottawa. She fo- cuses on intergovernmental relations and public policy in a comparative con- text. While on sabbatical, she worked with the Privy Council Office in the Intergovernmental Affairs Secretariat. Jenn has published multiple academic and policy papers, been a contributing co-editor of two books with UBC Press, and written a book on federalism and education policy in Canada published by the University of Toronto Press. In 2017, for example, provincial and territorial premiers successfully pressured the federal government to add certain items, most notably the proposed changes to the small business tax regime.