Prime Minister Stephen Harper asked P.E.I. Premier Robert Ghiz Wednesday to add his province to the list of those providing job protection for Armed Forces reservists returning from tours of duty.

'I was in total agreement.'— P.E.I. Premier Robert Ghiz

It was the first meeting between the two leaders. Harper is in Charlottetown for a meeting of the Conservative caucus. Ghiz came to the 30-minute meeting seeking a passport office for the Island and money for the beef plant in Albany. He told reporters afterwards Harper came with a request of his own.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, left, meets with P.E.I. Premier Robert Ghiz at the premier's office Wednesday.
(Jacques Boissinot/Canadian Press)

"There was one issue that they brought up with regards to reservists and the labour issue with job protection and I was in total agreement with that," said Ghiz.

"We'll get our officials to start looking at those things and, you know, it was good that they had something to ask and I was able to be receptive."

There are only three provinces — Nova Scotia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan — where the law says employers have to hold jobs for reservists who are away on tours of duty. Ghiz said he'll look at making the legislative changes on P.E.I. too.

"It's something we'll ask our department to start looking at now in legislative review. We'll look at the implications and everything, but off the top of my head it sounded like a reasonable request," he said.

Ghiz said he's happy to accommodate the prime minister on this issue, and he's hoping to make the appropriate changes soon, possibly when MLAs return to the legislature this fall.