CALGARY — A day of soggy socializing in the Rocky Mountains wasn't enough to dampen the spirits of Canada's premiers Wednesday as they prepared to discuss creating a leading edge workforce.

"I told them all it's normally sunny,'' Alberta Premier Ralph Klein said Wednesday under a steady stream of rain after the premiers arrived by historic steam train to the tiny resort town of Banff.

The leaders of Canada's provinces and territories were greeted by a brass band and an army of umbrellas before being whisked away in a parade of vintage cars.

The meetings begin in earnest Thursday with an agenda focused on creating a strategy for post-secondary education and training. A discussion on international trade will include a talk with David Wilkins, the new U.S. ambassador, while gun control, controlling the spread of the highly addictive crystal meth and daylight savings time are also expected to get attention.

But Wednesday was for largely for mingling, as the leaders took a break en route to Banff to watch a mini-rodeo featuring horses with decidedly familiar monikers.

The rodeo at the Kananaskis Guest Ranch included a display of cowboy culture including bare-back, saddle-bronc, bull and trick riding on horses named Red-hot Ralph, Do'er Die and Long Jean Silver.

Quebec Premier Jean Charest, observing that his horse was unable to buck off its young rider, quipped: "Looks like my relationship with the media.''

A mock gunfight was the highlight of the event put on to mark Alberta's centennial and role as host for the three-day annual meeting. A burly masked cowboy named the Lone Stranger eventually saved the day and whipped off his mask to reveal a beaming Klein.

The leaders and their entourages sat under covered bleachers to keep them sheltered from the rain as they noshed on gourmet picnic lunches.

Earlier in Calgary, Saskatchewan Premier Lorne Calvert spoke of more serious matters when he said it would be premature to demand extra cash from Ottawa for post-secondary education without more study.

"I think we need to do our homework, and there's nothing wrong with partnering up,'' said Calvert as he and his colleagues boarded the historic Royal Canadian Princess passenger steam train bound for the formal meetings in Banff.

The train ride, with the stop in Kananaskis, was meant to treat the leaders to one of the most scenic rides through the Rocky Mountains, but steady rain and a socked-in sky marred those plans.

"I never think we should just come and say we need more money,'' Calvert said. "I think the provinces, territories and federal governments need to sit down and say to each other, `What are the highest-priority needs?' for Canadians.''

Both Quebec and Ontario indicated they want a consensus from the leaders to push Ottawa for $4 billion in annual transfer payments. Charest said the federal government must do the same for education funding as it did for health care.

"As a first step, we're asking the federal government to re-establish funding at the same level as it was before the cuts which were unilaterally made,'' Charest said.

"Then we believe we should strive towards a level of financing . . . in the area of 25 per cent.''

Charest wants funding to be returned to 1995 levels, the same year, he says, when then-finance minister Paul Martin cut education spending.

Ontario's Dalton McGuinty agreed about the need for every province and territory to work together.

"I think the calls for a strong pan-Canadian strategy to invest more in our own people is key,'' he said after the rodeo.

He suggested more money for education is necessary to improve as an economy and as a country.

"There's only one thing left in which to build a higher-edge economy, and that's skills.''       

But Calvert said the billions that eventually went to health care didn't come without serious planning first.

"We had some success in terms of health-care funding because we understood our priorities, we identified the priorities and we're seeing the results of that,'' said the Saskatchewan premier, who noted there's only one place for the extra cash to come from.

"There's only one taxpayer. There's only one wallet. That's the Canadian taxpayer.''

His view was echoed by Manitoba Premier Gary Doer, who noted education is a provincial responsibility and it's the role of the provinces to take a lead role.

"Manitoba has increased post-secondary spending by 25 per cent since our government came into power,'' he said. "Right now we haven't engaged the private sector, the labour sector and the federal government in a strategy to grow our economy. We have to start with what we're willing to do.''       

Nova Scotia Premier John Hamm is pushing for a new formula that would see provinces get credit for each student they educate.

"We have an influx of students from other provinces that Nova Scotians are paying for because university education is subsidized by the taxpayer,'' said Hamm. "Nova Scotians are paying a price because their universities are so good and so popular.''

A report released Wednesday by the Canadian Association of University Teachers said provincial education spending patterns vary widely and the provinces and territories need to push Ottawa for a new funding arrangement.

Spokeswoman Loretta Czernis said the variations reflect the fact different provinces made different policy choices when the federal government first cut transfer payments in the early and mid-1990s.