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RENEWAL OF THE FEDERALISM AND FEDERATIONS
JOINT INITIATIVE
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, May 4, 2001 – The Honourable Stéphane
Dion, President of the Privy Council and Minister for Intergovernmental Affairs
and the Honourable Brian Tobin, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible
for the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), announced today
the renewal and expansion of the Federalism and Federations joint
initiative between Intergovernmental Affairs and SSHRC. Over the next three
years, the two organizations will invest a total of $2.3 million in the
initiative.
"Since this grants program was launched in December 1998,
numerous scholars and institutions across Canada have increased our
understanding of federalism in Canada and abroad.", stated Minister Dion.
"I firmly believe the importance of federalism will continue to grow around
the world and, with it, the need to stimulate research, to disseminate knowledge
and to bring together practitioners of federalism."
"Federalism is a flexible form of governance that can be
adapted to very different needs," said Minister Tobin. "Continuing
this initiative will further Canadian understanding of how federalism is
evolving in countries around the world and of the impacts of external as well as
internal pressures on government structures during a time of increasing
globalization."
This program has been very successful in encouraging
multi-disciplinary activities across Canada through its doctoral fellowships,
research grants, support for conferences and the creation of a Virtual Network.
It has allowed graduate students and researchers from social sciences and
humanities disciplines to engage in policy relevant research and to come
together to share their experience and knowledge.
In addition to research that focuses on new models of federal
governance, the impact of globalization and approaches to accommodate diversity,
this initiative will expand to include research on citizens' networks, social
cohesion and the development of social capital in federal countries.
"We are really pleased to be extending our support for
leading-edge research on federalism and to be enabling more students and
researchers in the social sciences and humanities to get involved," said
SSHRC President Marc Renaud." The new knowledge produced through this
initiative will give Canadians a better understanding of their country, as well
as of innovative approaches to the changing nature of society here and elsewhere
in the world."
SSHRC is an independent federal government agency that funds
university-based research and graduate training in the social sciences and
humanities through a competitive peer-review process. SSHRC-funded research
helps Canadians innovate and compete, maintain their quality of life and
understand a rapidly changing world.
Intergovernmental Affairs, which is part of the Privy Council
Office, advises on and coordinates relations between the federal government and
the provinces, the territories and Aboriginal peoples. Intergovernmental Affairs
provides support to the federal government in its efforts to renew and enhance
the functioning of the federation.
Funding for this project was provided for in the 2001-2002
fiscal year budget and is therefore built into the existing financial framework.
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For information:
Yves Pelletier
Government and Stakeholder Relations Officer, SSHRC
Telephone: (613) 943-1144
E-mail: yves.pelletier@sshrc.ca
Doré Dunne
Media and Public Relations Officer, SSHRC
Telephone: (613) 992-7302
E-mail: dore.potter@sshrc.ca
André Lamarre
Special Assistant, Office of the President of the Privy Council
Telephone: (613) 943-1838
Fax: (613) 943-5553
E-mail: alamarre@pco-bcp.gc.ca
BACKGROUNDER
Federalism and Federations Joint Initiative
Canada is
one of the world's oldest federations, and federalism has traditionally been
near the centre of the Canadian political, constitutional and social experience.
In order to stimulate research, training and the dissemination of knowledge in
the field of Federalism Studies, SSHRC and Intergovernmental Affairs (Privy
Council Office) have renewed their partnership to continue offering a grants
program entitled Federalism and Federations.
In 1998,
SSHRC and Intergovernmental Affairs launched their joint initiative to support
students, researchers and institutions through a number of complementary award
mechanisms. From 1998 to 2001, the program has granted 29 doctoral or
post-doctoral fellowships awards, supported eight major conferences, provided 23
research grants or supplements, and helped establish a Virtual Network (a
Web-based network of seven university centres across Canada dedicated to the
study of federalism).
Such an
approach is particularly important in light of three recent trends that may
prove significant for an understanding of Canadian federalism. First, Canadian
governments have recently been pursuing incremental approaches as a means to
improve governance and to accommodate diversity, these changes have sometimes
proved elusive in the realm of constitutional reform. This focus has produced
new programs and processes and modified existing ones which merits careful
attention and analysis.
Second,
new models of federal governance have emerged. These models include the evolving
federal structure of the European Union, the transformation of Belgium and South
Africa into federations, significant decentralization in Italy and Spain, and
the pursuit of self-government by Aboriginal peoples in Australia, Canada, New
Zealand, and elsewhere.
Third,
longstanding federations in Australia, Germany, Switzerland and the United
States are also trying to adapt to new pressures arising from the globalization
of public policy-making in many sectors, the expansion of regional free trade
areas and intensifying demands for more local autonomy. Determining how other
federations respond to these pressures may lead to a better understanding of the
strengths and weaknesses of the Canadian federation.
Given its
success to date, SSHRC and Intergovernmental Affairs are investing a total of $
2.3 million to renew and expand the Federalism and Federations program.
The renewed program will also appeal to researchers interested in how democratic
societies function. It will address the importance of interaction among citizens
for forging consensus, developing identity and building social capital. Many
believe that increased contacts among citizens from different regions and
communities (linguistic, ethnocultural, etc.) helps to foster openness,
understanding and acceptance of differences, and to build mutual trust.
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