On June 15 western premiers met virtually to discuss shared priorities, such as reopening plans, healthcare and economic recovery.

The day before, Northern premiers also met online to speak on shared priorities in the Arctic, including reopening plans, healthcare and reconciliation in the context of ongoing searches of former residential schools.

Hosted by Nunavut, the Premiers of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Yukon were present at the Western Premiers Conference as well as Northwest Territories Premier Caroline Cochrane and Nunavut Premier Joe Savikataaq.

Maintaining and increasing healthcare funding which came with the COVID-19 pandemic was one topic Savikataaq touched on in his opening remarks.

SA国际影视传媒淣otably, we discussed the many challenges in fiscal and human resources in our healthcare system as we find our way out of the third wave.SA国际影视传媒�

In December 2020 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged the Government of Canada needs to increase its share in healthcare funding.

SA国际影视传媒淲e need reoccurring funding through the Canada Health Transfer (CHT), and we will continue to lobby the federal government on this long-standing issue,SA国际影视传媒� said Savikataaq.

In a shared release, the western premiers were unanimous in their call for immediate and ongoing increases to the CHT, to achieve and maintain a federal share of 35 percent of provincial and territorial healthcare funding.

Among healthcare concerns are mental health and the impacts long-term COVID-19 related lockdowns will have on people going forward.

SA国际影视传媒淲e need dedicated programs and services and funding to help our most vulnerable,SA国际影视传媒� Savikataaq added.

Cochrane spoke about the need for Indigenous communities to take the lead in the ongoing searches of residential school grounds, saying it was a topic of discussion even before the discovery of 215 bodies in unmarked graves at Kamloops Indian Residential School.

SA国际影视传媒淥ur Indigenous people have spoken about missing children and (the discovery at Kamloops) actually validated it. You canSA国际影视传媒檛 erase history now, this is a reality,SA国际影视传媒� said Cochrane.

She made clear to other premiers Indigenous communities must take the lead in the ongoing searches of residential schools.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was necessary for me to take a step back and recognize the bitter truth in reconciliation. Articles 71 to 76 (of the Truth and Reconciliation CommissionSA国际影视传媒檚 calls to action) talk about the missing children and the burial of these children and state it shall be led by Indigenous people. It shall not be public governments doing this.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey will take the direction, they will tell me what to do,SA国际影视传媒� Cochrane said. SA国际影视传媒淎s a public government, this shall not be led by me, it shall be led by the Indigenous governments in the NWT.SA国际影视传媒�

Earlier in the Western Premiers Conference, Savikataaq led a discussion regarding infrastructure in Nunavut, making clear the considerable gaps in the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 infrastructure compared to the jurisdictions of the other premiers, stating that all jurisdictions in Canada should be connected.

SA国际影视传媒淚nvestment from coast-to-coast-to-coast is nation-building,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

With regards to reopening plans, both Nunavut and the NWT are keeping an eye on their own vaccine uptake rate as well as the pandemic situation in the south.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think all jurisdictions are wanting to open up, people are tired of COVID-19, we need to find out what the new normal will be,SA国际影视传媒� said Cochrane.

She added it all depends on how the southern premiers fare with their own vaccine uptake.

SA国际影视传媒淚 really emphasize to all the southern jurisdictions, keep up with the vaccinations, because if we can get your people vaccinated then we can actually open up.SA国际影视传媒�

Cochrane ended on a need to find common ground in this time, and to think of their respective constituents.

SA国际影视传媒淧arties donSA国际影视传媒檛 matter, itSA国际影视传媒檚 when we work together as all premiers that we do the best for the residents of Canada.The NWT is just one jurisdiction in Canada, but ISA国际影视传媒檓 proud to stand as a Canadian.

SA国际影视传媒淏y working together, finding commonalities we can all stand up for, that is the way, in my opinion, that we represent Canadians.SA国际影视传媒�