Canada's premiers are getting behind a bid to make the Bay of Fundy one of the new seven wonders of nature.

With its dramatic tides, otherworldly formations and rugged beauty, the Atlantic inlet is one of 28 global finalists in the running for the title.

The Bay of Fundy is also the only Canadian entry in the contest.

Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter and his counterpart from New Brunswick, Shawn Graham, made their pitch on the final day of a premiers' summit in Winnipeg on Friday.

The pair showed a video presentation which outlined the Bay's natural beauty, and it appeared to pay off immediately, as the rest of premiers agreed to join in the push.

The New 7 Wonders Foundation is a Swiss-based group which will announced the winners in November of 2011.

While the premiers reached a consensus on the Bay of Fundy, it appeared that they couldn't agree on a stance regarding Ottawa's decision to ditch the mandatory long-form census.

Graham said that his province, which is Canada's most bilingual, relies on the census data to ensure that services are tailored to the population.

He added that the province needs the census data to ensure that the right funding from Ottawa comes in for select programs which are delivered across the province.

The government has faced mounting criticism over the census decision, as educators, civil groups and others come forward to say that they need the information gleaned from the reports.

This week, Industry Minister Tony Clement said that some groups were getting a free ride out of the data.

"I have to admit, I was a bit shocked this morning to see the federal government out criticizing the premiers on this, saying it's a free ride for the provinces," Graham said at a news conference.

"It's safe to say they're a bit on the defensive on this issue and that's unfortunate."

Ottawa has said that the long-form census will still be included in the survey, but it will be voluntary.

While premiers from provinces like Alberta, B.C. and Saskatchewan say the census decision isn't vital, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Prince Edward Island agree the data is too valuable to lose.

With files from The Canadian Press