HELLO, HALIFAX — The premiers arrive in Canada’s ocean playground for three days of summer confabbing. Nova Scotia Premier TIM HOUSTON is this year's host.
— On the agenda: Housing and affordability, health care, infrastructure, energy, Canada-U.S. relations, emergency preparedness and response, and Arctic security. → The subplot: In a July 11 letter that cc'd every premier, Houston urged JUSTIN TRUDEAU to "work with us in a true partnership to revitalize cooperative federalism." The words were diplomatic. The message to the PM and his Cabinet: stay in your lane. "To revive the collaborative spirit of the federation, we urge the federal government to refrain from unilateral actions in areas of provincial and territorial jurisdiction, particularly in health care, education, and housing. In areas of shared responsibility, timely outreach and engagement will ensure that our respective programs, funding, and policies complement one another and are effective in each jurisdiction across Canada." → Indigenous leaders: Several leading Indigenous organizations will meet with premiers today amid what CBC's OLIVIA STEFANOVICH describes as a deteriorating relationship. "I would say in the last year the relationship with provinces and territories has regressed," Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami president NATAN OBED told her. Métis National Council President CASSIDY CARON says her organization, as well as the Assembly of First Nations and ITK, should be at the table for all premiers' meetings — not a single session on Day One. Obed and Caron, Stefanovich reports, will look for an ally in Manitoba's WAB KINEW. — The glue of the operation: LORETTA O'CONNOR, the executive director of the 4-person Council of the Federation Secretariat that supports the premiers' collabs, has served in the role for 20 years. She got on the horn with Playbook to discuss final preparations for this week's meetings. → Planning 101: O'Connor leaves the agenda, schedule, media availabilities and social events to the host premier. But her initial event planning starts about a year out when she books hotel space. (There are exceptions. O'Connor says only a single hotel in Charlottetown can accommodate the premiers, so they book that one years in advance.) Premiers typically gather for a private dinner at the meeting's outset. That's happening tonight. Indigenous leaders are usually invited to the gathering, too. They'll be in attendance in Halifax. → The little details: O'Connor's crew preps the host province with a massive briefing document's worth of to-do lists. For instance, they advise the hosts to create a logo by the end of January and think about what they want to serve for dinner. (Stand by for details.) Some of that direction comes right from the top. "The host premier is very involved in what he wants to highlight and showcase in his province," says O'Connor. Houston's team will debrief with next year's host: Ontario Premier DOUG FORD. → Private time: The leaders' plenary at last week's NATO summit wasn't exactly intimate. Each president or prime minister was supported in the room by senior officials, including ministers — and by additional aides perched in a nearby "listening room." In Halifax, the premiers have time with only each other. One room, 13 invitees, "not being filmed or monitored or taped — more free-flowing discussions," says O'Connor. "That is something that they want to have, that they find useful. Those honest, frank discussions." → Cellular diplomacy: O'Connor says premiers are just like everybody else. "I'm not in the text chain, but I understand that there's a lot of texting that goes on," she says. "Texting among themselves, texting during meetings to their teams." → Good vibes only: Halifax will be collegial, O'Connor says, dispelling rumors of bad blood between preems. "I get the feeling sometimes people are like, 'Oh, you know, this premier doesn't talk to this premier.' And that's definitely not the case," O'Connor says. "They're like all of us, and want to build relationships and friendships and make things work for their jurisdictions." Have a scoop for POLITICO? Or maybe you are somebody who knows where the post-meeting party's at in Halifax? Drop your Playbook host a line . He's Nova Scotia-bound this morning and taking all invites. | 
