CONFEDERATON 2000 AGENDA FOR CHANGE
May 1996

The Confederation 2000 conferences, aimed at helping build a new consensus for political change in Canada, have engaged over 100 citizens from every part of Canada. The conferences were sponsored by the Business Council on National Issues.

The first conference in Ottawa on March 8 and 9 gave rise to the creation of three task forces composed of 60 participants. Many other conference members contributed their ideas to an intensive process of consultation and deliberation over an eight week period.

At the second conference on May 3 and 4, the task force findings and recommendations were debated and a consensus was reached. The following report is a reflection of this consensus -- a remarkable example of partnership and understanding in the quest to builder a stronger Canada.

HOW WE SEE THE CHALLENGE

Our vision is of Canadians proud of their achievements and of the values that unite us in our diversity, creating wealth and work, sharing our prosperity, caring for the less fortunate and wanting to contribute to a better world.

Our goal must be to renew hope in our future enabling Canadians of all origins to feel at home in this country, to realize their potential, and to fulfill their aspirations individually and collectively.

We face a threefold challenge in achieving this goal:

• to keep the country strong and united in a way that celebrated the linguistic duality of Canada and the cultural diversity of its population while recognizing the unique character of Quebec, the legitimate aspirations of Aboriginal peoples and the right of anglophone and francophone minorities to preserve their own identity;
• to embrace a new concept of our federation as a community of citizens and a partnership of federal and provincial governments that, in exercising their respective sovereignties, can jointly lead and manage the federation for the greater benefit and prosperity of all citizens;
• to renew our institutions to make this concept of partnership work

We should move pragmatically and incrementally within this overall vision of renewal. We should proceed through a series of mutually reinforcing steps toward a package of new arrangements, some of which eventually should be enshrined in our Constitution or recognized as conventions of the Constitution.

Moving incrementally does not mean moving slowly. On the contrary, by breaking down the challenge into manageable steps, we wipe out the excuses for not acting. We must proceed as soon as possible with meaningful, concrete change. Each step that we undertake must be feasible. And at each step we must deliver what we promise.

Success will depend on citizens choosing to become involved as active partners with their governments in the process of building a national consensus and putting it into action. Together, we must foster dialogue where there has been none, dispel the myths that confuse our sense of purpose and build confidence by spreading the facts and sharing our dreams.

Throughout this process, we must seek collective success, not a result measured by winners and losers. We want to build a renewed federation in which Canadians in every part of the country can feel hope for the future, fulfill their aspirations and enjoy the sense of security that flows from being part of a strong and confident community.

WHAT GOVERNMENTS CAN DO (summarized by uni.ca)

The elements of consensus

Each order of government is sovereign in its own sphere and a consensus is building to have each level carry out their respective roles more responsibly and more harmoniously. Thus, a “rebalancing” of federal-provincial roles is in order.

In the Throne Speech, the Government of Canada said:

• no new shared cost programs in areas of exclusive provincial jurisdiction without consent of a majority of provinces; non participating provinces will be compensated if they set up a comparable program
• it is ready to curtail activities in a range of provincial areas
• values and principles underlying the social union will be developed in conjunction with the provinces
• it will improve public participation

The rebalancing challenge

Greater clarity in functions of the levels of government is needed, as it reduction in overlap and duplication. The approach to the delivery of public services should be “citizen-centred”.

The federal government has announced it will retreat from labour market training, forestry, mining, and recreation. Labour market adjustment, housing and municipal and urban affairs should be added.

The federal government should be more committed to a stronger economic union; expanded international trade, development and security; research and an effective social union; and stronger national institutions to promote our identity

Partnership may be needed in areas like freshwater fisheries, agriculture, tourism, regional and industrial development, the environment, culture, communications, and international trade development.

The federal spending power

Unilateral use of this power has had good effects, but is also a source of irritation for several provinces.

Provinces and territories had little say in the development of programs attached to federal transfers, and now no process exists to manage reform of the programs as the transfers shrink.

The unilateral approach is outdated, and with shrinking budgets it can no longer be afforded.

The federal government follow the Throne Speech statement regarding new policies and programs, but compensation for non participating parties should be unconditional.

The social & economic union

Social programs and equalization payments form an important part of our Canadian identity.

Strong minimum standards should be cooperatively agreed upon, and the development of social programs should rest with the provinces.

Our economic union must be strengthened.

The federal government and provincial governments must work more closely together to develop fiscal policies and coordinate the process of delivery of budgets.

Federal programs should not distribute money in a way that discriminates against one or more provinces.

Trade barriers between provinces must be knocked down. Citizens, services, goods, and capital must be able to move about freely. Securities regulation on a pan-Canadian level should be developed.

The federal government must lead in areas of international trade.

A more effective decision making model for the rules and standards of the social and economic union is needed.

Cooperative decision-making

Federalism has accommodated remarkable innovation in how we are governed, but new methods of managing the links between government are needed. Particularly, Ottawa must work with the provinces to develop values, principles, and objectives to guide the provision of social programs.

Effective rules are needed for making and enforcing decisions at First Ministers meetings. They should be co-chaired by the Prime Minister and one of the Premiers, chosen on a rotating basis, and meeting in different parts of the country. The agenda should be determined jointly.

Quebec in an evolving federation

This is not a zero-sum game of what Quebec “wants” and what others are willing to “concede”. The partnership of French and English-speaking peoples, and Aboriginal peoples has made Canada unique in the western world.

Quebec forms a distinct society within Canada -- for reasons of its language, culture, and civil law, its social, cultural, economic, and political institutions.

The rights of official language minorities in every province must be safeguarded by the federal government and by each province and territory. For over 200 years, the distinctiveness of Quebec has flavoured the way we form and operate our institutions.

The rebalancing process envisaged by this proposal would lead to a greater respect for the 1867 division of powers. Greater use of concurrent powers are also very important to explore.

Formal constitutional recognition of Quebec’s unique character is needed to promote and protect that character. Such recognition would include a provision that courts would take into account to determine whether actions by Quebec’s National Assembly are “demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society” -- i.e. in Section 1 of the Charter. The Supreme Court of Canada would, of course, have the ultimate say.

WHAT PEOPLE CAN DO (summarized by uni.ca)

Citizens must be challenged to contribute to the process of renewal, and provided with realistic opportunities to have their views incorporated.

To this end, exchange programs, meetings, discussion groups, conference, and awards should be used.

The media, our educational systems and our vast infrastructure of national associations and student, labour, business and professional networks all have important roles to play in national reconciliation -- in Canadians getting to know their country better.

Initiatives are needed to improve communication between natives and non-natives, and francophones and anglophones; to have Canadians participate in exchange programs. Joint public and private projects on a national scale are needed.

Citizens’ panels, community forums, and deliberative polling can improve the quality of citizen participation.

AN AGENDA FOR ACTION

Six months to major progress

Progress can and should be made by October 30, 1996.

The federal government should immediately withdraw from labour market adjustment and training.

At the First Minister’s Conference in June, the following should take place:

• The Premiers should accept the Throne Speech offer for devolution of forestry, mining and recreation, and establish a firm timetable.
• Both levels of government should commit to the “citizen-centred” approach to delivery of public services and launch an assessment into which level can best deliver which service. They should also agree on a better framework for safeguards for the quality, scope and accessibilty of those programs.
• The First Ministers should sign a binding agreement regarding new programs and the federal spending power.
• The First Ministers should enhance the Internal Trade Agreement so that it provides for truly free movement of people, goods, capital and services within our own borders.
• They should also agree on Canada-wide securities regulation.
• They should begin immediately to work out new rules to govern dispute resolution and decision-making. As a first step, they should agree to have First Ministers Conferences co-chaired by the Prime Minister and one of the Premiers on a rotating basis; to allow either to call a meeting; to have the agenda set jointly by the co-chairs.

The process of Aboriginal self government should be improved, and the forthcoming recommendations of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples should be carefully considered.

Public and private initiatives must promote mutual understanding and cooperation across the country.

The Co-Chairs of this conference will meet on or before October 30, 1996 to issue a public report on progress made.

The continuing agenda

Some of these steps will need to be constitutionalized. The recognition of Quebec’s distinctive character should happen soon, and no constitutional change affecting Quebec should occur without Quebec’s participation or acceptance. Aboriginal issues, reform of the Supreme Court, the Senate, and the Bank of Canada are also examples, though the federal government can start the process at any time, and without immediate constitutional changes.

The foundations must be built now for a constitutional reconciliation with Quebecers. Long-standing aspirations of Western Canadians and Aboriginal peoples must also be met constitutionally.

CONCLUSION

The participants in the Confederation 2000 process believe that most Canadians are sick of constitutional gridlock and political posturing. We want to see concrete action that effectively helps real people to deal with their real problems.

We must not ignore the difficult questions that remain. But we must accept that in our never-ending effort to build a better society for all Canadians, we should face each challenge and grasp each opportunity as quickly and as effectively as possible. We have discovered through bitter experience the consequences of putting off until tomorrow what could be done today.

Citizens from every corner of our country have vital roles to play in the process of renewal. As well as working toward a consensus on the basic shape of renewal, we all must help our political leaders understand what services we believe are most important to us as citizens and taxpayers, and which government, if any, can deliver those services most effectively. We also must help each other to develop a common understanding of what we love about our country and how we can make it an even better place to live.

We do not seek immediate action for the sake of action, to get the visit to the dentist over with. But in many areas, the debate has gone on long enough. The urgent need now is for clear decisions and visible progress, the first stepping stones toward a more prosperous and united future. Our message to political leaders is simple: let’s get on with it.