At a press conference given on August 2, 2002 at the closing of the 43rd Annual Premiers’ Conference held in Halifax from July 31 to August 2, the Honourable Stéphane Dion, President of the Privy Council and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, presented the following documents :

• Evolution of the projections of budgetary balances of the U.S. government for the year 2002

• Cost of provincial demands and the Government of Canada's budget balance according to the Conference Board study ($ billion)