Intergovernmental Affairs and International Relations

Primary Role

Federal-Provincial Relations is a branch within the Department of Finance that is primarily responsible for providing policy advice, analysis and support to the Premier of Manitoba concerning Manitoba’s relationships with the federal government and other provincial and territorial (PT) governments. The branch also promotes Manitoba’s interests in the development of interprovincial/territorial positions and policies in cooperation with other provinces and territories, and in the development and implementation of certain national policies in cooperation with the federal government.

 The Federal-Provincial Relations branch is responsible for ensuring that the Government of Manitoba has adequate and timely information on the implications for the province of national and regional trends and the programs and policies of the federal government and/or other provincial and territorial governments.

The Federal-Provincial Relations branch works in conjunction with the Canada-US and International Relations branch of the Department of Entrepreneurship, Training and Trade. It also works closely with specialized units in other departments which deal with federal-provincial and interprovincial agreements and arrangements.

In Manitoba, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and International Relations is the Premier, The Honourable Wab Kinew.

Key Events

• First Ministers' meetings
• Council of the Federation meetings
• Western Premiers' Conferences
• A broad range of bilateral and multilateral meetings between the Premier and the Prime Minister, Federal Ministers and other Premiers.

For information on previous and upcoming intergovernmental meetings, please visit the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat (CICS) website. The CICS is a neutral conference support body which provides the administrative services required for the planning and conduct of federal-provincial-territorial or provincial-territorial conferences or meetings of First Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers.