MINISTER DION STRESSES THE NEED FOR THE WEST AND THE
GOVERNMENT OF CANADA TO WORK BETTER TOGETHER
REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN, March 6, 2001 – Speaking to the
members of the Saskatchewan Institute of Public Policy at the University of
Regina, the Honourable Stéphane Dion, President of the Privy Council and
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, stressed the importance of an ongoing
dialogue between Western Canadians and the Government of Canada, "so as
to start off on the right foot at the beginning of this new mandate."
The Minister said that he understands the concerns felt by many
Western Canadians in light of the fact that, once again, the party in power in
Ottawa is not the one that garnered the most votes in their region. "A
federal government made up of few or no Quebeckers-and which moreover, in our
case, would barely be able to speak our language-would certainly have
its work cut out for it in Quebec," he acknowledged.
The Minister pointed out that this is why Prime Minister Jean
Chrétien has asked eight of the fourteen Liberal members of Parliament elected
in the Western provinces to sit at the Cabinet table and has assigned the
chairmanship of the two most important Government committees to Ralph Goodale
and Anne McLellan.
"Red Book III, which includes our commitments to
Canadians, is something we are going to achieve together with you, the people of
Saskatchewan," the Minister stated. "In all areas, we
are going to work harder than ever to ensure that our actions are adapted to
your everyday realities, and are undertaken together with you."
Mr Dion then noted that some Western Canadians believe that a
major reform is needed, a major shift, which they believe would allay the
feeling of Western alienation more effectively than the approach taken by the
Government. But he also pointed out that other Western Canadians are expressing
doubts as to whether such a major reform would make the difference. The Minister
explained that he shares those doubts:
"When you examine the plans for fundamental reforms
that have been put forward, they seem unlikely to forge consensus in the West.
Many Westerners do not consider them to be desirable. This is true for the
three main shifts that have been proposed: a conservative shift, a
decentralist shift, and a populist shift," said Mr Dion.
As evidence that those doubts are well founded, the Minister
referred to polling data suggesting that the ideological differences between
Western Canadians and Canadians in other regions are not that great: "There
is no indication of the alleged solid Western conservatism. My sense is that
there would not be any more of a consensus on such a move in the West than there
would be elsewhere," the Minister declared.
Similarly, Mr Dion expressed the opinion that a shift toward a
radical decentralization would not forge consensus in the West: "My
contacts with ordinary Canadians, like all the public opinion polls I have
seen, show that the majority of Canadians in every region of the country do not
want massive transfers of powers toward the provincial governments. What they
want above all is for their governments to work better together, and that is the
direction in which the Chrétien government has concentrated its efforts."
With respect to a populist shift, which would take the form of
frequent use of referenda, relaxation of party discipline and adoption of a
proportional voting system, the Minister said he is puzzled that the four
provincial governments do not put these ideas into practice to a greater extent
if it is true, as has been suggested, that Western Canadians are particularly
attached to them.
In conclusion, the Minister quoted the President and Chief
Executive Officer of the Canada West Foundation, Professor Roger Gibbins,
who has stated that "the heart of the problem is not policy or money,
but the lack of respect."
The Minister stated that this feeling of not being sufficiently
respected is of great concern to him. "That is a serious problem that
we need to talk about, because if there is one thing that is worthy of respect,
it is certainly this extraordinary human adventure that is Western Canada. The
last thing I would want is for you to doubt the tremendous pride that a
Quebecker feels in having Saskatchewan and Western Canada as part of his country,"
Mr Dion concluded.
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For information:
André Lamarre
Special Assistant
Tel: (613) 943-1838
Fax: (613) 943-5553
