As you're probably aware by now, the prime minister of Canada and the premier of Ontario haven't had a meeting in more than a year.
And if the events of this week are any indication, the strained relationship between Stephen Harper and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne won't be improving any time soon.
UPDATE: Harper, Wynne met in Toronto on Jan. 5.
On Thursday, Wynne released a letter she sent to the PM — her second in recent months — pleading for a sit-down to discuss issues such as the Ring of Fire, equalization payments and Ontario's pension plan. She noted that the last time the two leaders met was Dec. 5, 2013.
"That is too long a time between meetings of the prime minister and the premier of Canada's largest province, whose relationship should be one of collaboration, not confrontation," she wrote.
Though Harper was in Ontario for pre-budget consultations, he passed on Wynne's invite. However, the prime minister did find time Thursday to meet with new Toronto Mayor John Tory.
The prime minister met with with Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Paul Davis Friday to hear the provincial leader's concerns about Canada's free trade deal with the European Union.
Of course, Harper and Wynne don't see eye-to-eye on a number of issues. Harper and Finance Minister Joe Oliver both oppose Ontario's planned pension reforms and Wynne publicly lashed out at federal Conservatives several times during last spring's provincial election.
Near the beginning of the campaign, the Ontario premier even divulged to the The Toronto Star details of her last meeting with Harper, which could help explain the prime minister's reluctance to chat with her.
The premier told The Star the PM "smirked" last December when she pushed him on pension reform and told Wynne people must save for their own retirement. Harper's top spokesperson shot back that Wynne was misrepresenting what happened to distract from her own "mismanagement of the Ontario economy."
After she won a majority, Wynne told reporters she didn't receive a phone call from Harper.
In the summer, the Ontario premier said it was "outrageous" that Harper won't call a national inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women. She also recently expressed "grave concerns" about the Tories' new anti-prostitution law.
When asked earlier this month why he hasn't met with Wynne in so long, Harper said he meets regularly with premiers and anticipated there will be "another meeting at some point in time."
He also threw a thinly-veiled shot at Wynne, hinting she needed to get her fiscal house in order.
"We all know that the government of Ontario has some pretty significant challenges," he said. "I would encourage the government of Ontario to focus on those things, not on confrontation."
But one might understand if Wynne is starting to take these snubs personally. A quick look through Harper's Twitter profile shows he's willing to meet with all kinds of people not named Kathleen Wynne.
Perhaps Wynne should just keep trying.
With files from The Canadian Press
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