Climate change and energy were supposed to be the big issues when the premiers got together in Moncton….

It wouldn't really be a premier's meeting without some grumbling about the federal government. … Some of the premiers were also fretting about the Conservative government might do.

Harper has said the government should be playing a smaller role in creating and supporting national social programs. The federal government should not be insisting on health-care standards or funding child-care programs, the argument goes. Those are areas of provincial jurisdiction, and the federal government should butt out.

The approach reflects Harper's view that the federal government should be smaller.

And it will score political points in Quebec. Premier Jean Charest has said he wants to start talks about a reduced role for the federal government. But other premiers are edgy, because they believe federal programs are needed to ensure equal standards and improving programs and they fear Ottawa government will cut back funding.

Still, based on the premiers' inability to make progress on climate change -- supposedly a national priority -- the prime minister doesn't have much to worry about from the council of the federation, grand name or not.