Successful conclusion to budget caps busy week for P.E.I. premier

It's been yet another busy week for P.E.I. Premier Dennis King.

King's week started with his first official meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, then he met with provincial and territorial counterparts in Saskatoon.

He ended the week passing the provincial budget during the last sitting of the springlegislature on Friday.

King was supposed to meet with Alberta Premier Jason Kenneylastweek prior to the annual premiers' meeting, but scheduling conflicts got in the way.

"One of the things that we had been working on for the last few weeks was to try and find a date to meet with the prime minister," King told CBC News: Compass.

It turns out the meeting with Trudeau conflicted with the meeting with Kenney, King said.

"I don't think it should be construed as any kind of snub," he said.

King said it is important to maintain a relationship with federal partners, so meeting Trudeau was important.

"My goal is to try and do the best every day with our federal partners to make sure we have funding arrangements that meets the needs of Islanders," King said.

Took a while to fit in

King said it took awhile at the premiers' meeting to see where he fit in, he said.

He said it took a little while to feel comfortable at the meeting.

"It was surreal in many ways," King said. He said he thinkshe presented the needs of Islanders "very well."

Only two MLAs Hannah Bell and Ole Hammarlundof the Greens voted against the budget.

"I was very happy to see such a convincing number actually support what was very much a collaborative budget," King said.

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