Doug Ford arrives in New Brunswick on Wednesday to meet with his fellow premiers in his first appearance on the national stage since last month’s election.

Topping the agenda for the Canadian premiers’ annual conference, which runs from Wednesday to Friday in Saint Andrews, are Canada-U.S. relations, a national pharmacare plan and the ongoing opioid crisis. Provincial plans for carbon pricing — which Ford reversed in one of his first acts as Ontario’s premier — are expected to be a point of contention.

On Tuesday, Ford told reporters at Queen's Park that he was looking forward to his first conference of with the other leaders.

“I’ve talked to a couple of the premiers and I’m excited to get out there and meet all the premiers,” he said.

“There’s going to be a real mixture of different thoughts. I always like going to these places and bringing back the best ideas,” he added.

“I’m sure the people of B.C. or Alberta or New Brunswick, they have some great ideas. It’s a neat way to get together. We’re going to have a few conferences. We’re going to listen to each other and that’s the most important thing.”

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Spokesperson Simon Jefferies said the premier is “keen to discuss how every Canadian province and territory can stand together to create and protect jobs during the current trade dispute with the U.S.”

Ford, he added, is “also looking forward to identifying ways provinces and territories can work together to oppose the federal government’s plan to impose a punishing carbon tax on Canadian families, and to having discussions with provincial counterparts to ensure the federal government pays their share when it comes to illegal border crossers.”

Ford’s Progressive Conservative government has been outspoken about the issue of migrants seeking asylum, and in particular the burden on resources and housing it has put on Ontario.

New Brunswick Premier Brian Gallant, who is the incoming chair of the Council of the Federation of Premiers, said the meetings “allow us to work together to grow the Canadian economy, address key social priorities and improve health care for all Canadians.”

The premiers are scheduled to meet, both formally and informally, while in Saint Andrews.

A meeting with Indigenous groups is planned Wednesday morning in Bouctouche, outside of Moncton.

On Thursday, the provincial leaders are to discuss Canada-U.S. relations, as well as economic growth, a national pharmacare plan and the ongoing opioid crisis.

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"We are all facing health care challenges, therefore, we can work together in finding common solutions on how to improve health care services in our respective provinces and territories," Gallant said in a written statement.

All 13 provincial and territorial premiers are a part of the federation.

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