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Feds, Ontario trade barbs about Stephen Harper’s absence at premiers’ conference

Another premiers meeting, another opportunity for provincial leaders to vent about Stephen Harper.

Canada's premiers are meeting in Prince Edward Island this week for their annual summer retreat — dubbed the Council of the Federation — to talk trade, energy and missing and murdered women.

It's a given that Harper doesn't come to these confabs — in fact he hasn't called a first ministers meeting in about five years. He believes that they become a political gong show giving premiers a platform to bellyache as a means to win votes back home.

Every year that stance becomes a source of consternation for premiers who openly criticize the prime minister for his absence.

This year is no different — the first salvo was launched by Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne.

"The fact that the federal government has refused, that Stephen Harper has refused to come and meet with the premiers, I think is a very big problem," Wynne told reporters according to CBC News.

"It's a big problem in terms of international trade. It's a big problem in terms of internal trade. It's a problem in terms of national interest, like a Canadian energy strategy, or like infrastructure investment. It would be better if the federal government were at the table with us."

[ Related: Premiers to talk trade at annual summer meeting in Charlottetown ]

This time the Harper government is fighting back with vim and vigour. Finance Minister Joe Oliver claims that Wynne's attack isn't at all sincere.

"The Premier is trying to divert attention from her government's own difficulties by picking fights with the federal government," Oliver told Yahoo Canada News through a spokesperson.

"Instead she should focus on dealing with her real challenges...she should stop saddling future generations with ever more debt and follow our lead by returning to balanced budgets."

"We are always ready to work constructively with her government to achieve our overarching goal of jobs, growth and long-term prosperity for Ontarians and all Canadians."

He continued:

"Our record is clear: Unlike the previous Liberal government, we will not achieve a surplus on the backs of the provinces. To the contrary, transfers payments have increased over 50% since 2006 to $65 billion. And we have introduced the largest and longest infrastructure program in Canadian history, $70 billion over 10 years," he said.

"We transferred a record $19.2 billion to Ontario this year in social, health and equalization payments, 76 per cent more than the previous government. In addition, Ontario received $12.3 billion for infrastructure projects since 2006,up from $3.9 from federal Liberals over the previous 13 years."

[ Related: Saskatchewan premier backs public inquiry on missing, murdered aboriginal women ]

During the Mulroney and Chretien eras, first ministers' conferences were commonplace as Ottawa sought provincial input on a host of matters including national unity, health care, infrastructure and energy.

Harper has opted instead to meet with premiers on a one-on-one basis and having his cabinet minister meet regularly with their counterparts. In July, for example, Minister of Employment and Social Development Jason Kenney met with provincial ministers in Charlottetown.

[ Related: Momentum for national inquiry builds on day of premiers' meeting ]

The opposition parties however, hearken back to the days of Mulroney and Chretien. Liberal leader Justin Trudeau has said that, as prime minister, he would meet regularly with the premiers while NDP leader Thomas Mulcair would take it a step further.

"Mr. Mulcair has been saying for some time that an NDP government would hold two council of the federation meetings per year — one in Ottawa and one in a province or territory on a rotating basis," George Smith, spokesperson for Mulcair, told Yahoo.

"Mr. Mulcair has said that perhaps it's because he comes from provincial politics but, unlike Harper, he is not afraid to sit down and talk with the provinces."

This year's conference concludes on Friday August, 29.

(Photo courtesy of The Canadian Press)

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