Trudeau and McNeil meet in Ottawa, praise each other

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil exchanged praise and pleasantries in a brief appearance before the cameras in Ottawa Tuesday afternoon.

Trudeau has been meeting with premiers following his re-election win, which resulted in a minority government.

Unlike some other premiers, McNeil has been a vocal supporter of the federal government, especially its efforts to fight climate change.

On the weekend, the federal government released the newly signed agreement between Canada and Nova Scotia that will allow the province to keep its coal-fired electricity plants open, provided Nova Scotia meets greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.

Trudeau welcomed his ally to Ottawa, calling McNeil a "great partner in the federation."

The meeting, Trudeau said, was an "opportunity to talk about how we're working together for Nova Scotians, whether it's on infrastructure or fighting climate change, whether it's moving forward on electrification or dealing with health-care concerns."

For his part, McNeil used the two-minute photo opportunity to talk up Nova Scotia's economy.

"I'm very proud of the fact that we've welcomed more young Canadians back home to build our province. Population is at an all-time high ... These are all positive signs to continue to allow our province to grow," he said.