Atlantic premiers plan better co-operation on reducing red tape, pot plans

The Atlantic premiers wrapped up another meeting Monday in Halifax with an agenda that includedthe Atlantic growth strategy, the legalization of marijuana and the proposed oceans supercluster for the region.

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P.E.I. Premier Wade MacLauchlan said he and his colleaguesdiscussed aligning their approach to pot legalization "more in the nature of reporting inand so far, so good."

Of top concern is the quality of the cannabis the governments will provide, MacLauchlan told reporters as the meeting wrapped up.

"What people buy, the cannabis that they buy from our four governments, is going to be of reliable quality it's not going to be crooked, orpoisonor kill you," he said.

"That is a huge public health issue right now and the fact that we're stepping forward with legal cannabis that is of reliable quality is a major offering in terms of the public health of Canadians."

Aligning regulations

MacLauchlan said the premiers also discussed aligning regulations in other areas across the four provinces for example, ensuring 16 technical trades such as welding and refrigeration have similar certification so they can work easily throughout the region.

The fact that we're stepping forward with legal cannabis that is of reliable quality is a major offering. Premier Wade MacLauchlan

"Overall we're seeing more alignment or harmonization in the way we go at things in the four provinces and that's good for everyone in terms of investment and work," P.E.I. Premier Wade MacLauchlan told CBC Radio: Mainstreet's Angela Walker.

Along similar lines, MacLauchlan said the premiers discussedreducing red tapeand aligning minimum wage rates in the region. They extended the "successful" Atlantic Workforce Partnership that helps recruit and train skilled workers, and discussed their collaboration with the federal government on the Atlantic Growth Strategy which has helped with trade promotion, immigration and tourism.

Oceanssupercluster

The premiers also reviewed the region's bid to winfederal funding for something called an oceans supercluster, which would promote the region'smany marine-related businesses, schools and research facilities.

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The idea is to builda job-creating region with a strong economy, like Silicon Valley. The region'sproposalhas already made Ottawa's short list of nine pitches, out ofwhich five will be chosen.The federal governmenthas said it hopes to name successful applicantsby the end ofMarch.

"In the case of Prince Edward Island, two of the bigger ways in which we contribute would be the expertise of the Atlantic Veterinary College in aquaculture," MacLauchlan said. "Another would be the work and successful innovation that has been developed by Aspin Kemp Associates in marine power systems."

The premiers meet up to six times a year, MacLauchlan said, which allows them to make progress on common issues.

"There's a strong camaraderie among the premiers and in fact we had a dinner for just the four of us last night, we had breakfast for just the four of us this morning so we have an opportunity there to really engage," MacLauchlan said.

P.E.I. will host the next meeting of Atlantic premiers in spring 2018.

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