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Archives - Press Room

MINISTER DION STATES THAT THE FEDERALISM OF TODAY REQUIRES WORKING TOGETHER WHILE RESPECTING SPHERES OF AUTONOMY


OTTAWA, ONTARIO, June 11, 2000 – Describing Canada as "the land of intergovernmental relations", the Honourable Stéphane Dion, President of the Privy Council and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, stated today, at a conference on "Parliamentary Government at the Millennium: Continuity and Change in Westminster Systems" being held by the Canadian Study of Parliament Group, that intergovernmental relations are so important in Canada that it is essential that they well serve the general interest.

Pointing out that there are some fields of governmental activity that do not lend themselves well to a watertight distinction of roles and responsibilities between orders of government, and that the expansion of the role of governments in the lives of citizens throughout the 20th century has meant that the areas of jurisdiction of federal governments and governments of constituent entities have come to touch increasingly, the Minister noted that "governments' ability to work together while respecting each other's spheres of autonomy is a determining factor in the functioning of modern federations. [...] They have had to learn to work more closely together and to manage these intense interactions."

"This dynamic between autonomy and interdependence is experienced to a particularly high degree in Canada," he added. "You would be hard pressed to find another federation whose political life is marked as much by its intergovernmental relations."

Mr. Dion then described five factors which place intergovernmental relations at the centre of Canadian political life and give them a unique character among world federations. He noted the strength of both orders of government in their respective spheres and the small number of provinces, which "not only makes it easier to hold frequent interprovincial or federal-provincial meetings, but also to build interprovincial cohesion."

The Minister also pointed out that, compared with other senates, Canada's, which is not elected, is in less of a position to compete with the provincial governments in terms of regional representation. Another factor, in Mr. Dion's view, is the strength of the executive branch in relation to the legislative branch, at both the federal and provincial levels, which generates intergovernmental relations between strong governments. The existence of a minority group that constitutes a majority within one of the constituent entities, and in particular the presence in Quebec of a separatist party in power or in opposition over the last three decades, has often imparted an existential nature to intergovernmental relations that is unknown in other federations, he noted.

The Minister then proposed seven principles which can guide intergovernmental relations in federations so that they best serve the public interest. The Constitution must be respected and cooperation is essential to intergovernmental relations, he emphasized. The third principle is that "governments' ability to act must be preserved," Mr. Dion stated. "We must not let our quest for cooperation lead us to create a federation where no government can move without the permission of the others."

He stated that the federation must be flexible enough to reconcile the pursuit of common objectives and citizens' desire for government services of comparable quality throughout the country with the constituent entities' capacity to innovate and establish a healthy emulation among themselves. The federation must encourage redistribution, he added, citing Canada's equalization program as an example. Governments must also exchange information, Mr. Dion pointed out, and the public must be aware of their respective contributions, so that citizens are able to assess the performance of each one.

"Of course, intergovernmental relations within a federation are often highly complex," the Minister concluded. "But we as practitioners must never forget that beyond that necessary complexity, which is our daily bread, federalism is, first and foremost, a profoundly human undertaking. Federalism is proof that diversity is not a problem, but rather a strength for a country."

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For information:

André Lamarre
Special Assistant
Phone:  (613) 943-1838
Fax:  (613) 943-5553

 

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Last Modified: 2000-06-11  Important Notices