Prime Minister Mark Carney will be travelling to Saskatchewan this June to meet with Canada’s provincial leaders at a time when the issue of western alienation is top of mind. Saskatoon is set to host the First Ministers Meeting on June 2. Following question period on Wednesday, Premier Scott Moe told reporters that he’s looking forward to the discussions that are sure to take place at the event. “[The Prime Minister] had offered we should host the first ministers meeting there and I said that would be great. Consider it done,” Moe explained. “It’ll be a good discussion in the lead up to the G7 meetings in Banff. It’ll be a good ongoing discussion with respect to our relationship, not only with the U.S., but also China – and I think in the meantime and even after that, some good discussion on how we can bring Canadians together in light of a fairly divisive election and a fairly divisive time.” The announcement comes just over a week after Moe invited Carney to Saskatchewan with the intention of “hitting the reset button” on the relationship between the two levels of government. As Alberta Premier Danielle Smith continues to make headlines by publicly raising the possibly of separation – Moe said he expects the issue of western alienation to be brought up. “I think we can provide some relevant advice for some policy direction change for the Prime Minister, so that we can find that common ground – common ground where the Saskatchewan ministries and people are really feeling respected within the nation of Canada,” he said. “And that hasn’t always been the case over the last decade.” NDP propose changes to referendum rules The Opposition NDP continued its criticism of the Saskatchewan Party Wednesday – arguing the premier is leaving the door open for separatist feelings by not outright denouncing the idea – a charge the premier has repeatedly denied. The NDP introduced a private members bill in the legislature Wednesday – aiming to make it harder for a separation referendum to take place in the province. If passed, the bill would require 30 per cent of eligible voters in the province to sign a petition before a referendum can be called. The current threshold calls for 15 per cent. “Introducing a referendum on separation would drive jobs and investments out of Saskatchewan and that is the case – even if that referendum were to fail,” NDP Leader Carla Beck explained. The move comes after a separation petition was created by an organization called “Unified Grassroots.”
