2002/03 Annual Service Plan Report -- Office of the Premier

Performance Reporting — Continued

Goal 2: To improve the effectiveness of British Columbia's federal, interprovincial and international relations to support government priorities.

Objectives	Strategies
2.1. Advocate for more equitable distribution of federal government transfer payments and contracts and ensure full provincial participation in federal funding programs.	• Prepare a list of federal-provincial issues and propose a strategy for advancing British Columbia's position in a coordinated and effective way. • Invite all members of the British Columbia Legislature and British Columbia Members of Parliament to hold annual joint conferences to identify and overcome issues of regional alienation within Canada and British Columbia. • Push to eliminate interprovincial trade barriers. • Push to eliminate overlaps in areas of federal and provincial jurisdiction that add bureaucratic costs and frustrate economic development and sound management. • Coordinate a program of cooperation with Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska.
2.2. Achieve a more equitable federal equalization program that is consistent with the Constitution.
2.3. Eliminate interprovincial trade barriers.
2.4. With the lead ministry, seek provincial control over the management and revenues of British Columbia's offshore fisheries to improve fisheries management and protect fishery jobs.
2.5. Enhance British Columbia's working relationships with other provincial and federal institutions.

Measures and Targets

Measure	2002/03 Target	2002/03 Actual
Identify and rank B.C.'s intergovernmental priorities and implement an action plan	Priorities ranked and approved by Cabinet Action plan developed and approved by Cabinet	Completed. Implementation underway. In addition, British Columbia's priorities were reflected at the August 2002 Annual Premiers' Conference, the January 2003 Premiers' meeting and the February 2003 First Ministers' Meeting on Health Care Renewal. In February 2003, the Prime Minister agreed to remove the ceiling on the federal equalization program. A review of the program is underway.
Eliminate overlaps in jurisdiction and process	Ministries identify overlaps Strategy developed for rationalization	Completed. Ministries have identified overlaps in jurisdiction and process. A strategy has been developed for rationalization.
Make progress on interprovincial trade barriers	Structured, ongoing relationship on interprovincial trans-border issues	Completed. B.C. is in total compliance with the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) provisions and is pressing other provinces to strengthen the AIT.
Implement a program of cooperation with Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska	Program approved by Cabinet	Completed. A program of cooperation with neighbouring States has been approved by Cabinet. In addition, the Premier met with Governors of neighbouring states at the Western Governors' Association meeting. He also met with U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, U.S. trade representative Robert Zoellick and American Ambassador Paul Cellucci. The Minister of State for Intergovernmental Relations met many American legislators at Pacific NorthWest Economic Region meetings, the Council of State Governments (West) annual meeting and during visits to Alaska and Washington, D.C. He also met senior U.S. officials when they visited British Columbia and has periodic meetings with the U.S. Consul General in Vancouver. The MLA for Chilliwack-Kent has met with dozens of legislators from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska and other States in his role as President of Pacific North West Economic Region (PNWER).