OTTAWA -- The premiers of Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick said Friday they have little interest in Quebec's call to eventually reopen constitutional talks.
New Brunswick's Brian Gallant and Newfoundland's Dwight Ball were in Ottawa meeting separately with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who also is cold to the idea.
Ball told reporters after his meeting with the prime minister that Trudeau had made his opinion on the matter clear.
"We consider Quebec as a friend to Newfoundland and Labrador and to all the other provinces," Ball told reporters. "But the prime minister has already said he didn't want to re-open the Constitution."
Trudeau briefly said Thursday on his way to a caucus meeting, "you know my views on the Constitution. We are not opening the Constitution."
For his part, Gallant said his government has more pressing issues.
"Us, in New Brunswick, we are concentrated on education, the economy and health care," he said.
Both premiers, however, said they were willing to talk with Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard.
Couillard said he wants to begin a national dialogue on his province's place in the country, which he hopes will end with Quebec finally signing the 1982 Constitution.
