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CALGARY, ALBERTA, April 16, 2003 – Speaking to members of the Canadian Unity Council and the Canada West Foundation, the Honourable Stéphane Dion, President of the Privy Council and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, expressed his concern over criticism that the Government of Canada does not always respect Albertans, and showed that the Government is committed to an ongoing, constructive dialogue with the Alberta government and various stakeholders in the province.

Minister Dion stated first that one cannot respect a society without recognizing its complexity. "Respecting Albertans is first and foremost a matter of being mindful of the rich diversity of opinions expressed [...] it means listening to [Alberta’s] many voices," said Mr. Dion, adding it is especially important to show respect when there is disagreement.

Mr. Dion then pointed out that, although the debate in Alberta, like in other provinces, is often framed in its own way, this does not make the province a monolithic society. He used polling results to show that a number of controversial federal policies, notably regarding the war in Iraq, the Kyoto Protocol, firearms registration, bilingualism, and health care, are supported by a large number of Albertans, and stressed that this support must be taken into account.

The Minister then said that respecting Albertans also involves discussing the merits of decisions with them. "[Citizens] want governments to also engage them in an open, sincere dialogue on the reasons for, and the impacts of, these decisions,"  said Mr. Dion. In discussing three particularly thorny issues in Alberta, the Canadian Wheat Board, the Kyoto Protocol and Senate reform, he illustrated what he means by an open, sincere dialogue.

After noting that opinion is mixed in Alberta on the future of the Canadian Wheat Board, the Minister pointed out that, in the most recent election to the Board, four of the five directors elected spoke out in favour of maintaining the Board, and of these, two were from Alberta. Mr. Dion emphasized that the Government of Canada believes the Board serves the general interest, particularly by enabling farmers to benefit from substantial economic advantages and international buyers to deal with a stable, reliable partner. "Our position [...] in no way reflects a lack of respect toward the people of Alberta," Mr. Dion specified, indicating that his government is prepared to talk with the Alberta government and other stakeholders with different views.

The Minister then mentioned that the Kyoto Protocol was ratified after lengthy discussions which enabled the oil industry, among others, to express its concerns. Mr. Dion indicated that adjustments were made to respond to those concerns, including those relating to greenhouse gas reduction objectives. While acknowledging that much still remains to be done, he highlighted the importance of working in partnership while respecting the interests of all parties and not imposing an unfair burden on any one region. He noted that "the prospect of fruitful collaboration between the Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta seems very promising," and said his government is acting in good faith and is listening to the business community.

Regarding the Senate, the Minister said he has a lot of sympathy for the position of many Albertans who would like senators to be elected. He noted, however, that elected senators would exert greater influence than is currently the case, and that under these circumstances, Alberta’s under-representation in relation to other less populous provinces would become very prejudicial. Moreover, Canadians do not agree on the parameters of the distribution of Senators per province, which requires a constitutional amendment. "I do not know how or when we will resolve this and other issues associated with Senate Reform," he reaffirmed. "But one thing is certain: reconciling these divergent views has nothing to do with a lack of respect for Alberta and everything to do with the plurality of opinions that are being expressed both in your province and in the rest of Canada."

Finally, Mr. Dion pointed out that the many voices being expressed in Alberta represent an important part of what makes up the Canadian social fabric. He reiterated the Government’s commitment to fostering more in-depth, ongoing dialogue on the choices and consequences of federal policies. "We must do this because we are all Canadians who care deeply about the well-being of every province, territory, city and village in our great land," the Minister concluded.

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