Fractious federal politics greeted the countrySA国际影视传媒檚 lone woman premier as she joined her 12 counterparts for a meeting in Ontario Monday.

Northern priorities emerged as one of the touchstones of the meeting, along with the premiers urging for a federal opt-out of national pharmacare, support for jurisdictions facing ailing resource economies, and more healthcare money for from the federal government.

Speaking to SA国际影视传媒 after the meeting, NWT Premier Caroline Cochrane pitched herself as a consensus-builder in an increasingly strained relationship between the federal government and CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 premiers.

At a press conference following the closed-door meetings, premiers from Western Canada took up much of the air space. In fact, Cochrane didn't get a word in edgewise.

Cochrane attributed this to a difference in styles.

SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 different ways of communicating," she said. "Some people will use their time, and some people will pick and choose when they speak things."

Cochrane said the meeting was in the south, and that consequently much of the media attention focused on southern issues.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 respectful to let them have the chance to speak to their politicians,SA国际影视传媒� she added.

The Northern priorities emerging from the meetings were heavy on nation-building. Infrastructure, including roads into communities, were front and centre for the premiersSA国际影视传媒� plans to work with the federal government. Parallel to this are climate change efforts, she said.

That same meeting features premiers that oversee resource-heavy economies like Alberta's Jason Kenney asking the federal government to budget for shortfalls emerging from those ailing sectors.

Asked if she would pursue similar efforts for the Northwest Territories, the premier said SA国际影视传媒淚 think it would be foolish for any jurisdiction to turn away financial support from the federal government,SA国际影视传媒� and added resource flexibility would be a key concern.

The Northwest Territories isnSA国际影视传媒檛 immune to resource woes: in July, the Conference Board of Canada released a grim economic outlook for the territory as mines mature and markets slump.

The premiers also urged the federal government to SA国际影视传媒渋mproveSA国际影视传媒� Bill C-69, a bill overhauling environmental rules for large resource projects. CochraneSA国际影视传媒檚 predecessor, former premier Bob McLeod, and other provincial leaders slammed the bill as a threat to national unity this summer.

In the letter, McLeod and his counterparts from Ontario, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta said the bill made resources development SA国际影视传媒渧irtually impossibleSA国际影视传媒� and would be a huge economic burden.

Cochrane said she needed more time to study the bill.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think that in honesty, ISA国际影视传媒檝e been premier just over a month. I would need to study Bill C-69 more,SA国际影视传媒� she said, explaining she knew what it was about, but hadnSA国际影视传媒檛 done a full enough review to discuss it.

Another result from the meeting was to call for an opt-out option for jurisdictions concerned about the federal governmentSA国际影视传媒檚 national pharmacare plan. Cochrane was receptive to the plan, but also left the door open to support other jurisdictions if they choose differently from a SA国际影视传媒渙ne size fits allSA国际影视传媒� approach.

SA国际影视传媒淲e need whatever resources we can get within the Northwest Territories. ISA国际影视传媒檓 open to whatever package theySA国际影视传媒檙e willing to give us,SA国际影视传媒� Cochrane said.