Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai speaking at the 2024 Western Premiers Conference in Whitehorse in June. Photo Courtesy: Macklen Linke CKRW
WHITEHORSE, YT – The 2024 Western Premiers Conference has just wrapped up in Whitehorse.
The Yukon was host to the annual meeting this year, where leaders of each of the three Territories joined the leaders of the four western Provinces to discuss their shared priorities and the avenues available for collaboration to tackle them.
Infrastructure supporting trade was top of mind this year along with shared concerns about everyday affordability across Canada’s north and west. Disaster preparedness and response, as well as security and sovereignty in the Arctic were also top priorities of the assembled Premiers.
Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai pointed out the diversity of opinions at the table and the willingness to put partisan politics aside for the sake of progress as he addressed media at the end of conference.
‘At this table we don’t just represent the 13-million residents of the northern and western jurisdictions, we represent a wide range of view points across the political spectrum. Despite these differences, over the past days we found the will to set aside partisanship in the sprit of collaboration, reconciliation, and finding common ground’ – Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai
Much of the discussion this year focused on interprovincial and international trade as well as the critical infrastructure that supports it. Of particular interest across the board, a push to develop and deepen trade relationships with the United States, and the disappointment of western Premiers that the 2024 Federal budget did not include a successor the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.
