Holt presses N.B.'s economic priorities in premiers' call with prime minister
Premier says province's ports, mines and possibly a pipeline are key economic drivers
New Brunswick is ready to grow its economy to serve national and international markets as the federal government tries to resolve the tariff dispute with the United States, Premier Susan Holt told Prime Minister Mark Carney during a conference call with premiers on Wednesday.
She addressed a variety of opportunities, including a possible east-west pipeline, export opportunities through the port in Belledune, modular home construction to fill housing needs here and across the country, and critical minerals developments to supply a growing international need.
She said the provincial government's priorities all align with ones articulated by the federal government.
"[He addressed] nation-building projects to really re-energize our economy, to grow our opportunities to trade with each other and with the world, and the prime minister asked premiers for suggestions on what those projects should be," said Holt of Wednesday's discussion.
"Thankfully, New Brunswick is bursting with opportunities."
The premier said both of New Brunswick's main ports are modernizing and expanding, but will need federal help on upgrades and additions, including rail links and other transportation infrastructure.
"[I told him about] the opportunities for federal partnership with our ports in Belledune and Saint John, [which] are ready to increase their national and their international trade, imports and exports of energy products and other materials and goods with additional investment in partnership from the feds," she said.
Province can help solve housing crisis
The premier told Carney the province is a leader in modular home construction, which the prime minister talked about on the campaign trail as a way of addressing the country's housing crisis.
"We have companies here that do this better than anyone," Holt said.
"They're already selling products to Quebec, to Ontario, to Nova Scotia. New Brunswick can play a lead role in making sure Canadians have affordable places to call home in partnership with the federal government. These companies are ready to expand. They're ready to do more and build that employment opportunity here to help solve a crisis that Canada is facing."
The global economy has a growing need for minerals that are used in a variety of sectors, including green-energy production, defence, aerospace, information technology and communications.
'We have projects that are ready to move'
Holt cited minerals like antimony, tungsten and copper. She says New Brunswick has 21 of the 34 minerals that Canada has identified as critical.
"We have projects that are ready to move in terms of the development of critical minerals in New Brunswick that will support both economic development and good paying jobs for New Brunswickers, but also support some of our critical interests in the green economy and the defence sector," she said.
Carney asked premiers for their ideas on nation-building projects. Here's what Holt said"There are a number of them that are ready to be realized through good partnership with the federal government on a robust permitting process."
Holt said she and Natural Resources Minister John Herron have engaged with First Nations communities on their role in potential projects, which could include equity stakes as resources are developed.
The premier acknowledged the tensions that exist between Ottawa and western provinces like Saskatchewan and Alberta. But she said the prime minister and the rest of the provinces can resolve those issues by working together on inter-provincial trade and creating a national energy corridor that could include an oil pipeline to Saint John.
"That's part of the work that needs to be done to bring Canadians together and to demonstrate the ways in which we are stronger as a unified nation that trades with each other, that leverages strengths east to west, but recognizes that we are a diverse country — a big, diverse country that shares a lot of different views on things, but there's more that we agree on than we disagree on," she said.
As yet, there is no private-sector proponent for a revived Energy East pipeline, and Holt said the Irvings haven't yet been engaged in conversations around reviving the idea of an export facility. But she says the federal government sees moving forward with conversations around projects like a pipeline as a priority.
"Prime Minister Carney made it clear that he's very interested in projects that get our resources moving east to west, that open up opportunities to get resources to tidewater into new markets. That's something he's prepared to work on."
The premiers are scheduled to meet next on June 2 in Saskatchewan.
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Carney to meet premiers in Saskatchewan June 2 amid tensions with the West
Face-to-face meeting comes as Alberta separation talk heats up
Prime Minister Mark Carney will meet with the country's premiers early next month in Saskatchewan — as frustrations with Ottawa simmer for some western leaders.
After Ontario Premier Doug Ford first told reporters about the upcoming meeting, the Prime Minister's Office confirmed Carney will travel to Saskatoon June 2 for a face-to-face meeting.
Ford, who took part in a conference call with Carney and the other premiers Wednesday, called the field trip meeting an "olive branch" to the West and a step in uniting the country.
"I said it is time that your government starts showing some love to Saskatchewan and Alberta because as I said, the last prime minister showed no love," Ford said.
"They have been treated terribly, to be very frank, and I think the new prime minister understands that and he will be out there having a great conversation."
After Carney's comeback win last week, the fourth consecutive Liberal government, the Alberta and Saskatchewan premiers called for a reset in how Ottawa treats the western provinces.
The day after the election, which saw the Liberals return with a minority government, Premier Scott Moe held a news conference where he said Ottawa needs to better "engage and consult" Saskatchewan on legislation and policies, including clean energy regulations and carbon pricing.
One province over, secession talk is bubbling to the surface. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has said she personally does not support her province separating from the federation, but she is proposing to lower the number of signatures needed to put a referendum on the ballot in 2026.
Will election law changes really give Albertans direct democracy access? Ford said premiers did not raise the referendum talk with Smith on the call.
"I always say, united we stand and divided we fall. That was my message today," he said.
He said it's on Carney to "show some love" to the West.
"Let's start diversifying our trade when it comes to oil," he said. "Let's start building pipelines west, east, north and south as well."
One of Carney's electoral promises is to make Canada what he calls an energy "superpower" and speed up infrastructure projects.
During his own news conference on the West Coast, British Columbia Premier David Eby reiterated that secession "is a non-starter" in his province and urged Moe and Smith to "push back strongly" against any separatist sentiment.
"You've got a couple of conservative premiers in Saskatchewan and Alberta, their preferred candidate was not successful in the federal election. They have strong bases of support for conservatives in those provinces, they're navigating tricky waters," he said.
"Take the moment to defend our country."
Ford congratulates Carney for his 'restraint' with TrumpWhen asked about Smith's referendum legislation during a news conference in Washington on Tuesday, Carney, who grew up in her province, said Canada is stronger when the provinces work together.
"You can always ask a question, but I know what I would respond, clearly," he said.
The premiers' call with Carney comes a day after his high-profile and closely watched meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. Ford said the premiers congratulated Carney on showing restraint.
"I don't think I'd have the restraint that he had yesterday to be very frank," said Ford. "I think everyone's feeling relatively good on the meeting yesterday. So that's a good start."
Trump and trade will likely dominate the upcoming first ministers' meeting. Carney has promised to lower interprovincial trade barriers by Canada Day.
"In the face of our immediate trade pressures, we're focused on building strength at home. That means launching big nation-building projects, removing internal trade barriers and building one Canadian economy," Carney posted on social media Wednesday afternoon.
"We agreed to meet in Saskatoon on June 2 to keep that work going — and keep building Canada strong."
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