Canada's premiers meet in Halifax to discuss health care, CPP, carbon tax

Solving the health-care crisis will be the big focus of a round of meetings to be held in Halifax this weekend between Canada's 13 premiers and territorial leaders.

But there are other hot-button issues that might dominate the conversations between the leaders like the carbon tax and Alberta's desire to withdraw from the Canadian Pension Plan.

"It's primarily a health-care summit, but there are other issues," said Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston.

Opposition leaders rose and spent most of their time during Friday's question period calling on Houston, who is the chair of the Council of the Federation for Canadian Premiers, to add the CPP issue to the weekend agenda.

Houston told reporters it will be a topic of discussion, either "formally or informally."

"There will be a lot of health-care discussions, but premiers will talk about the issues that matter to their residents," said Houston, during a scrum with reporters. "That will include CPP, whether it is formal or informal, and that will include carbon tax changes as well."

Houston said he has not spoken with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith ahead of the summit. Smith and United Conservatives are looking at a path to withdraw from the Canada Pension Plan and form their own provincial retirement plan.

N.S. Liberal leader Zach Churchill said he's concerned about what Alberta's decision to leave the CPP would mean for other members across the country and here in Nova Scotia.

"I hope he (Houston) realizes that this is actually a health-care issue," said Churchill. "If our seniors can't pay for their medications, guess what, they get sick and show up at our hospitals. I am completely blown away that he (Houston) just ignores this issue and pretends like it's not a big thing."

N.S. NDP leader Claudia Chender said Alberta's decision will have impacts on all Canadians and accused Houston of avoiding the topic.

"It's not just something that is happening somewhere else when a province like Alberta threatens to pull out," said Chander. "We expect this premier to fight for Nova Scotia and he didn't make that clear that he was going to that today and that's concerning."

As Chair, Houston says he can't add issues like the CPP topic to the agenda, it has to come from a general consensus, but says CPP will be an issue talked about.

"There are some jurisdictions that have some things they definitely want on there and others might have something they definitely don't want on there, but it's a consensus agenda and that's how the federation works," said Houston.

Canada's premiers will meet in Halifax on Sunday, Nov. 5 and again on Monday, Nov. 6.

For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.