REALITY CHECK: Stephen Harper, far from a team player

As 13 provincial and territorial leaders gathered this week for The Council of the Federation, we saw the way people representing diverse views can come together in common cause around issues that affect us all.

But whatever the region – or political affiliation – provincial and territorial leaders seem to agree on one thing: Stephen Harper’s misguided approach to the provinces has grown very old.

Here is a sampling of what premiers and former premiers from coast-to-coast-to-coast have had to say about Stephen Harper’s Conservatives:

_“__We were hoping that we were going to go into negotiations with the federal government to discuss health care funding in the future. Unfortunately, the prime minister sabotaged it to a certain extent…”_
– Robert Ghiz, PEI Premier, The Guardian, December 19, 2012

"I found the only way to deal with Stephen Harper was to flush him out.” – Danny Williams, former Premier of Newfoundland, CBC, May 29, 2013

"It is unacceptable that the federal government came forward with a unilateral proposal, with no dialogue, no consultation.”
– Premier David Alward, NB Premier, CBC, December 21, 2011

"They essentially came to the provinces and said we want you to implement this and carry the administration of it. (…) It's something we don't necessarily agree
with, something you didn't consult us about. So that's a bit disingenuous."
– NS Premier Darrell Dexter, Globe and Mail, May 16, 2013

“This is not the open federalism promise he made, and this simply does not conform to the federal system.” [translation]
– Former Quebec Premier Jean Charest, SRC, January 1, 2012

"We’re seeing signs that the federal government intends to arrive at a balanced budget by in part downloading to the provinces. Why do I say that? Because of the troubling approach the federal government is bringing to the federal-provincial relationship.”
– Former Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, Toronto Sun, March 5, 2012

“The flexibility requirement [for Jobs training] is fundamental. (…) If there’s going to be a one size fits all approach, I think it’s going to be very problematic all across the country.”
– Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger, CBC, July 25, 2013

"It's unbelievable. The decisions that have been taken federally have been having this impact on people who are clearly the most vulnerable."
– Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, CBC, November 22, 2012

“We cannot do our bit in growing the national economy if the federal government isn't contributing to skills training in the best way possible.” – BC Premier Christy Clark, National Post, July 24, 2013

Canadians deserves better. Canadians can trust the NDP to form a government that will work with the provinces, not try to divide them.