Manitoba's crusade to slash red tape takes aim at Ottawa's regulations

Trade barriers between provinces are costing Manitoba families money, Premier Brian Pallister says, and he's had enough.

Pallister will champion the slashing of red tape at next week's meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his provincial counterparts, the premier said on Friday.

Ottawa must cut back on the restrictions itimposed, he said.

Among them, Pallistercriticized new regulatory requirements, including Bill C-69, that he says harmthefisheriesand resource sectors.

Barrierscrippling Manitoba's potential: Pallister

He railed againstdiffering standards for meat processing,the decision to have morefederal oversight on more food products andtoo many procurement exemptions in the Canadian Free Trade Agreement as well.

The premier saidarduous barriers must be reduced, but he wouldn'tdelve into exactly what needs to bechanged.

He said he won't arrivein Ottawa next week with specific asks.

"There'sno point unless I get buy-in from the feds that they're ready to look at their own" regulations,he said. "Once we achieve that, then we can move together co-operatively on certain topic issues."

During aneconomic update last week, federal Finance Minister Bill Morneaupresenteda list of 23 regulatory barriers to tackle. The priority areas includegoods transportation (including trucking), food inspection, construction services and alcohol liberalization.

Pallister said the provincial and territorialgroup he leads with Nova Scotia PremierStephen McNeil is already focused on these matters, and he wants the federal government to acknowledge the barriers it has control over.

Small businesses affected

As an example, Pallisterreferred to asmallCarman-area meat processor trying to take kosher meat to new markets.

Rules thatprovedetrimental to small businesses like that one sometimes don't matter to the massive corporations Ottawa consults when devising regulations, he said.

Pallister received national attention this summer when he convinced his colleaguesto eliminate restrictions on the flow of alcohol across borders.

Manitoba premier says provincial trade barriers need to be eliminated

6 years ago

Duration 4:48

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister speaks with CBC's Hannah Thibedeau ahead of the Council of the Federation talks in New Brunswick