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Premiers from across Canada gathered in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., for the 2013 summer Council of the Federation meeting. NWT Premier Bob McLeod, from left, Alberta Premier Alison Redford, Prince Edward Island Premier Joseph Ghiz, Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger, Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, Quebec Premier Pauline Marois, New Brunswick Premier David Alward, British Columbia Premier Christy Clark and Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall. - photo courtesy of Nabil Shash |
Bringing premiers North Territories interested in hosting 2016 Council of the Federation
Kassina Ryder
Northern News Services
Published Monday, August 5, 2013
NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, ONT
The Northwest Territories has thrown its hat in the ring to host a future summer meeting of the Council of the Federation, said Premier Bob McLeod.
McLeod said he and the premiers of Nunavut and Yukon made the suggestion during the council's meeting in Niagara-on-the-Lake last month.
The annual summer meeting, which aims to gather the premiers of every province and territory, has never been held before in the North, McLeod said.
"We put forward the case that the territories should be included in the rotation of hosting the Council of the Federation meetings," he said. "I think all of the premiers are very interested in coming North to all three territories eventually."
McLeod said leaders in Nunavut, Yukon and Northwest Territories plan to discuss hosting the event and hope one will be chosen for the site of the 2016 meeting.
"We will have to discuss it among the three territories," he said.
The jurisdiction hosting the meeting can expect millions in economic spinoffs, McLeod said.
He said holding the meeting in the NWT would also provide a variety of activities for visiting delegates, such as sightseeing and outfitting tours.
The next meeting, scheduled for August 2014, is set to be held in Charlottetown, P.E.I.
During the meeting held from July 24 to 26, McLeod and other premiers highlighted the need for sustainable funding from the federal government in order to provide affordable housing.
"We had a very good discussion and we all agreed we would support our housing ministers in their building a business case," he said.
In smaller NWT communities, nearly half of the homes are public housing units, according to statistics from the GNWT.
Funding from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to build new homes decreased from more than $30 million in 2003-04 to $25 million in 2010-11.
Funding will be completely eliminated within the next 25 years.
"The funding from the CMHC for public and social housing decreases every year and by 2038, it will be down to zero for our territory," McLeod said. "That's why we're building a business
case similar to other provinces and territories."
McLeod said part of the meeting involved discussions with aboriginal organizations from across Canada, all of which emphasized the importance of sustainable
funding for social housing.
"The first day, we had a meeting with the national
aboriginal organizations and they all talked about the importance of housing. Several of them talked about the fact that, in their view, housing was in a crisis
situation," he said. "It's very important for us to get moving on this."
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