Like much of the country, Ottawa is in the deep freeze. It's been about -30 all week but Canada's premiers seem oblivious to the weather.

Julie Van Dusen

The premiers arrived for their meeting with the prime minister in their toasty warm cars as a clutch of frozen reporters and camerapeople waited to scrum them.

Given the clime, one would think the premiers would whiz right by and not want to linger in the frozen air whipping up from the nearby Ottawa River.

But no! The premiers had a lot to say — about infrastructure, jobs, EI benefits, forestry, mining, training, taxes, and on and on.

Brrrrrrrrr. Though for Manitoba Premier Gary Doer, this is balmy weather. He was particularly loquacious.

Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams said its a priority, in these tough economic times, for Canadians to "have hope" and "feel good about themselves."

Great sentiment. But it might be a lot easier once this cold snap ends and Canadians can actually feel their toes again.