Inuvik (July 12/04) - Premier Joe Handley joined a chorus of western and Northern leaders last week calling on federal MPs to pump more money into Canada's health care system and improve patient services in remote communities.

"We want some good, practical steps to fix the financial issues (surrounding health care)" said Handley, who chaired the meeting of seven premiers, held July 8-9 in Inuvik.

All of the premiers, including Alberta's Ralph Klein, affirmed their support for the Canada Health Act and said they did not discuss the privatization of medical services. But they stressed funding from federal government needs to be more consistent in order for the current system to function properly.

"It's crucial for the future of health care," said Saskatchewan's Lorne Calvert.

With the federal Liberals holding a minority government, Handley also said it was an ideal time to make sure MPs live up to election promises.

"We have an opportunity to make headway with health issues," he said. "Typically minority governments don't last four years. From our perspective, we're looking at 18 months."

One of the chief concerns for Handley and Nunavut Premier Paul Okalik is the delivery of health care in Canada's remote regions.

Handley said the federal government needs to understand the, "cost of delivering services is much more expensive in the North."

He called the current system of medevacing patients from outlying communities "inefficient" and said more money needs to be pumped into preventative programs.

Okalik and Handley also stressed the need to improve the overall health of the aboriginal population, which Handley said lags behind the rest of the country.

While health care was the number one topic on the premiers' agenda, they also announced the formation of a western "energy alliance." The deal would see the provinces and territories share everything from research and technology to marketing data.

Filling the need

Handley also pushed the potential of eventually selling hydro-electricity and natural gas to energy-hungry provinces like B.C., but said the NWT first needs to improve its infrastructure.

The premiers also agreed to consult each other on projects that have cross-border implications, like hydroelectric-dams, said Handley.

Officials in Alberta recently criticized the B.C. government for its plan to build a dam on the Peace River in the northeastern part of the province. They say the Site C Dam -- which would be B.C.'s largest with a projected reservoir of 6,000 hectares -- will lower water levels in the Peace River.

Hydrologists say the dam could potentially reduce flow in the Slave and Mackenzie Rivers. Handley had a brief discussion with B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell about the dam and said Campbell was committed to consulting with the NWT and Alberta before going ahead with the project.

"We both agree we need to look at the bigger picture," said Handley. Ultimately, Campbell has to do what's best for B.C., he added.

The three territorial premiers -- Handley, Okalik and the Yukon's Dennis Fentie -- also used the forum to call for more control over natural resources and the $90 million in federal funding Ottawa has earmarked for economic development in the North.

Resource control

"All jurisdictions should manage and control their resources and pace of development," the seven premiers wrote in an open letter to Prime Minister Paul Martin.

The premiers also threw their support behind devolution initiatives.

"The North has the potential to become economically self sustaining. But this potential cannot be realized without a federal commitment ... to devolution," they wrote.