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"For a competitive, compassionate, independent Canada" by Paul Martin There is no inaugural address at the swearing-in of a Canadian prime minister and the cabinet. But three days before taking office on December 12, Paul Martin delivered what amounted to an inaugural address at a Liberal Party fundraiser in Toronto, where he laid out an agenda that included funding for health care and cities, and a stringent expenditure review to assure a continuing surplus, as well as renewing relations with the United States and reclaiming Canada’s role in the world. "Remembering Robert Stanfield: a good-humoured and gallant man" by Rod McQueen At his passing in December, Robert Lorne Stanfield was once again remembered as “the best prime minister Canada never had.” As his longtime press secretary recalls in this appreciation of the former Progressive Conservative leader, Stanfield was untroubled by his three successive election losses to Pierre Trudeau — including his near-victory in the 1972 election. As Rod McQueen writes, though he would rather have won, Stanfield always kept losing in perspective and never allowed himself to be bitter. McQueen remembers Stanfield for his wry and self-deprecating humour, his debating skills in the House, and above all his convictions and principles. "Letter from Iraq: From dictatorship to democracy - uniting diversity in the tent of federalism" by David Romano With the dictator himself in captivity in December, rejoicing Iraqis knew there would be no return of Saddam Hussein and the Republic of Fear. But the American-led occupation of Iraq still endured murderous attacks and administrative snafus in the post-war reconstruction of a society that is the cradle of civilization itself. And the road from dictatorship to democracy is still a dangerous one, with centuries-old tribal, cultural and religious differences among Kurds in the North, Sunnis in central Iraq and Shiite Muslims in the South. In this letter from Iraq, Dave Romano, a Ph.D. graduate from the University of Toronto’s department of political science and a post-doctoral fellow at McGill University, describes life after Saddam among the Kurds of the North, and suggests that Canadian federalism could prove a useful model in uniting the diverse factions of Iraq in a new democratic state. "A nation of cities awaits Paul Martin's 'new deal' - federal funds for 'creatures of the provinces'" by T.J. Plunkett A rural country of 4 million people after Confederation, and only 10 million after the Second World War, Canada in the first years of the 21st century is a nation of more than 30 million people, nearly two-thirds of whom live in our 25 largest cities. A nation of cities, writes T.J. Plunkett, one of Canada’s eminent authorities on the history and development of municipal affairs. Resolving the issues confronting cities, he writes, requires reform of the revenue sources currently available to them, as well as reconsideration of the position cities occupy in our current governmental framework. Cities are constitutionally creatures of the provinces, yet their needs require funding available only from Ottawa to address a wide range of issues from urban sprawl and aging infrastructure to public transit and the homeless. Plunkett also suggests a new governance framework that would give cities a greater degree of autonomy within their provincial frameworks by allowing mayors and executives to have real power under city charters. "Beyond the municipal: governance for Canadian cities" by Andrew Sancton Provincially legislated municipal mergers in the last decade have affected eight of Canada’s census metropolitan areas (CMAs), and have been implemented with uneven degrees of success and varying degrees of controversy. The two largest mergers, in Toronto and Montreal, are definitely works in progress, writes Andrew Sancton, a leading authority on municipal governance and amalgamation. Both the new Toronto and Montreal “super cities” cover only about half of their respective CMAs. The Toronto merger has been slowed by scandal, and the Montreal government has been handcuffed by the refusal of many suburbs to accept “forced mergers” with the old city and their continuing desire to “de-merge,” resulting in proposals from Montreal City Hall to decentralize many powers to the suburban boroughs, including the election of borough mayors. In Toronto much thought is being given to new ways of bringing centralized leadership and cohesion to a huge municipal bureaucracy. But it is time to realize, Sancton argues, that the issue of city governance goes far beyond the municipal. There is a wide variety of municipal structures in Canada and very little evidence that one form is better than another. Canadians have devoted too much attention recently to municipal structures and not enough to improving our cities. "Cities in ascendancy" by Tom Courchene [summary not available] "Time to build Canada's cities" by Jack Layton Cities are not only where 80 percent of Canadians now live, they are where “most of Canada’s GDP is created,” writes Jack Layton, leader of the federal NDP. “Just the seven largest metropolitan areas generate 45 percent of the country’s GDP.” Winnipeg accounts for two-thirds of Manitoba’s output, Calgary and Edmonton for two-thirds of Alberta’s, Vancouver for more than half of British Columbia’s, Montreal for about half of Quebec’s, and Toronto for nearly half of Ontario’s GDP. While a “more up-to-date constitution, one that recognizes the role of played by municipal governments in managing cities,” would be welcome, “it is not a necessary precondition,” adds Layton, also former president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). Nor is it sufficient for Ottawa to rebate cities GST payments to cities. It’s time for Ottawa to remit a share of the federal gasoline tax to cities. It is time for Ottawa to show cities the money. "Place matters and multi-level governance: perspectives on a new urban policy paradigm" by Neil Bradford Over half the population of Canada lives in the four largest city regions of the country. From financial services to information technologies to consultingengineering firms, cities are the motor of the nation’s increasingly service-based economy. With the population density and critical mass of labour markets and expertise, cities represent the natural home for clusters of innovative firms competing in the global economy. But the problems of Canada’s cities, writes Neil Broadford, “are rooted in a growing mismatch between municipal responsibilities and the policy resources available to act.” Cities are limited by both fiscal and constitutional constraints. “New thinking is needed that respects provincial constitutional responsibility for municipal governments,” writes Bradford, while he recognizes that city policy issues, “transcend the jurisdictional compartments.” "The problem, or not, of urban sprawl" by Raphaël Fischler Urban sprawl must be distinguished from urban expansion in general, and scattered development must be seen as a particular form of sprawl. The key variables here, writes McGill University professor Raphaël Fischler, are density and urban form. The growth of low-density, car-orientated environments around cities is largely a response to individual demand but also a source of collective problems, some of which are yet to come. The extent to which sprawl constitutes a public-policy problem depends on the values we bring to bear on the issue and on the constituency that is affected. "Breaking gridlock - lessons from London's success story" by Marni Cappe Urban gridlock already costs Canadian cities $2 billion a year in lost productivity, and is estimated to rise to $7 billion within 20 years. By then the average commute in Toronto, for example, could take half again as much time as it does now. The economic cost of traffic congestion leaves aside the environmental costs and quality-of-life impact resulting from traffic congestion in city centres. From London, Marni Cappe considers the remarkable success story of reducing congestion in central London by charging cars to drive in it. Traffic volumes and delays have been reduced, as has time spent in traffic. As many as 50,000 fewers cars are coming into central London, with most former car commuters switching to public transit or car pooling. Cost benefits indicate about C$400 million saved a year from reduced congestion. The foundations of London’s success include unbearable levels of congestion that demanded a solution, a willingness of commuters to modify their behaviour, and political leadership from Mayor Ken Livingstone. "In praise of modernist civic spaces in Canadian cities" by Derek Drummond A prominent McGill architect proposes, perhaps heretically, that modern Canadian buildings such as Place Ville Marie and the Toronto-Dominion Centre have not only been enduring realizations, but impressive civic spaces, much more so than the heritage buildings of earlier eras that were essentially bereft of space and closed off to the public they were supposed to serve. The Old City Hall in Toronto is a notable example of buildings with well-designed facades and interiors that did little to provide exterior spaces accessible to the public. The New City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square across the street have become the focal point, and gathering place, of Canada’s largest city. Similarly, in Montreal, Place Ville Marie became the signature building of the city and its most important civic space. In Vancouver, Arthur Erickson’s New Courthouse is not just a courthouse, but a modern symbol of a world city. Derek Drummond praises modern architecture and the legacy of civic space it has created in Canada’s cities. "Portraits in time - Canada's cities through the eyes of artistic beholders" by Ihor Holubizky [need abstract] "The politics of congestion" by Joseph Heath [summary not available] "Canada and free trade - 15 years on" by Daniel Schwanen Fifteeen years ago, in January 1989, the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement was implemented. Ten years ago, in January 1994, free trade was expanded to bring Mexico into the North American Free Trade Agreement. On the 15th anniversary of the FTA, and the 10th anniversary of NAFTA, IRPP Senior Economist Daniel Schwanen checks in with an update and analysis on trade flows in goods and services, productivity and the degree of economic integration resulting from free trade. Canada’s exports to its NAFTA partners, as a percentage of output, have risen from 20 percent to 30 percent in the last decade. Exports to the US and Mexico as a percentage of global exports have risen from 73 percent to 84 percent since 1988, the year before the FTA came into effect. Moreover, writes Schwanen, “the structure of Canada’s goods exports under the FTA has shifted markedly away from the traditional resource base and toward non-resource exports, now accounting for some 55 percent of all exports.” Still, he warns there are “serious clouds on the horizon.” "The talks that did happen in Cancún: a view from outside the negotiating rooms" by Chantal Blouin In its report on the outcome of the Cancún trade talks, The Economist, among others, was quick to blame NGOs for the radicalization of some African countries. “Such a portrayal fails to take into account the richness and diversity of the ideas put forward by NGOs and research groups focusing on trade and development,” says Chantal Blouin, a researcher with the North-South Institute. From the combination of the official and unofficial discussions on trade and development that took place in Cancún, she reports on interesting new trends, ideas and questions, some of which feed into rethinking how trade rules can support development. She notably points to proposals for alternative regulatory systems for developing countries and means to ensure the latter’s capacity to use these rules. Groups outside the negotiating rooms can contribute to informed policy debates on issues such as trade in agriculture and special rules for developing countries. And, she argues, Cancún was an excellent showcase for groups from around the world that are doing just that. "Trade policy at the crossroads" by Bill Dymond and Michael Hart The arrival in office of a new government offers an unusual opportunity to set new directions in trade policy. While Canada played a role of regional and global leadership in negotiations that led to Canada-US free trade, NAFTA and subsequently the creation of the World Trade Organization at the conclusion of the Uruguay Round in the GATT, current opportunities for trade initiatives are severely limited by the stymied Doha Round in the WTO and the stalled hemispheric trade talks for a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). The values-driven foreign and trade policies of the last decade could well be replaced by interest-driven policy, particularly the challenges of managing Canada’s deepening economic integration with the United States. The first and foremost obligation of Canadian diplomacy over the next few years, conclude Bill Dymond and Michael Hart, is to reach a new accommodation with the US. "Language matters: analyzing the next act on federal official language policies" by Jack Jedwab Since the late 1960s, the federal official languages policy has been oriented toward helping official linguistic minorities fend off the threat of language loss. The latest effort to address this persistent problem, the federal Action Plan for Official Languages, was released last year to strengthen linguistic dualism and raise the proportion of high school graduates who have a command of both French and English. But times have changed, says Jack Jedwab of the Association for Canadian Studies, and these goals now seem more elusive than ever. Whereas language issues have been closely linked to identity in the past, this is less and less the case, especially for younger generations. And while Canadians seem to support individual bilingualism, this support is soft, regionally uneven, and does not necessarily translate into support for institutional bilingualism. Moreover, actual knowledge and use of a second language contrasts with opinions expressed in polls, and this suggests that increasing bilingualism levels will not be easy. In fact, concludes Jedwab, whereas language conflicts have traditionally pitted anglophones against francophones, the emerging confrontation might pit those who are bilingual against those who are not. Book Excerpt: The Perilous Trade: Publishing Canada's Writers by Roy MacSkimming The arrival of the Chapters big box superstores in 1994, and their acquisition of SmithBooks and Coles, created a dominant player in Canadian book retailing whose predatory pricing practices soon drove many long-established independent booksellers out of business. Then Chapters CEO Larry Stevenson created Pegasus, a distribution division that demanded a wholesale discount from publishers for fulfillment to Chapters and Chapters.ca. To make things worse, even as books disappeared in the Pegasus supply chain, Chapters swamped publishers with returns, while neglecting to pay its bills on time. By 2000, the entire food chain of Canadian publishing had been poisoned. By the time Heather Reisman of Indigo stepped in with her hostile takeover of Chapters, Canadian publishing was in a state of financial chaos. In this exclusive excerpt from The Perilous Trade: Publishing Canada’s Writers, Roy MacSkimming tells the cautionary tale of Chapters, and how Larry Stevenson put Canadian book publishing on a road to ruin. Book Review: Philip Cercone reviews The Perilous Trade: Publishing Canada's Writers by Roy MacSkimming [summary not available] Book Review: John J. Noble reviews Navigating a New World: Canada's Global Future by Lloyd Axworthy [summary not available] "Jerks on all sides" by William Watson [summary not available] |
