MINISTER DION STRESSES THE
FEDERATION'S FAIRNESS

CALGARY, ALBERTA, April 4, 1997 – Stéphane Dion, President of the Privy Council and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, today told a Calgary Chamber of Commerce audience that we have a fair federation and that it is vital for national unity that Canadians’ spirit of generosity overcome interregional jealousies.

"Debates about fairness in Canada are as old as our federation," noted Mr. Dion. "Interregional jealousy is inherent to federations," the Minister continued. "But we in Canada are in a unique situation. We are a federation threatened with break-up, and faced with a separatist ideology which promotes suspicion, divisions and envy between citizens."

"It is important that our federal political parties be capable of balancing regional interests. Otherwise, interregional jealousies will continue to escalate," the Minister stated. Our commitment to fairness and sharing, Mr. Dion observed, "is vital in so vast a country, which, while blessed with tremendous natural and human resources, must nonetheless deal with the challenges which accompany distance, disparity and diversity. It is important that we remain committed to striking the right balance between the self-reliance of individuals -- and individual provinces -- on the one hand, and the need for sharing and fairness on the other."

Mr. Dion addressed a number of regional grievances during his speech, particularly those advanced by the Bloc Québécois and the Reform Party. He noted wryly that, when Calgary-based Canadian Airlines was experiencing difficulties last year, both opposition parties were critical of the federal government’s response, arguing from their own regional perspective that it was dictated by the location of the company’s head office.

In response to Reform’s allegation that the current federal government does not care about or understand Western issues, Mr. Dion noted that "during the Mulroney years, Mr. Manning campaigned with the slogan ‘the West wants in.’ I haven’t heard him use that line in quite some time, because with Prime Minister Jean Chrétien’s government, the West is in." The Minister pointed to the initiatives taken by both levels of government to change the oil sands tax regime, which have helped current investors and contributed to Shell’s recent $1 billion investment announcement. He also noted that a 1995 study conducted by the Institute for Research on Public Policy showed that, in terms of federal tax breaks, Alberta is the biggest winner in relative terms, benefitting from almost 16% of total tax breaks while its economy accounts for under 11% of GDP.

"We should look for fairness in the big picture. In that picture, no Canadian province can say it is getting a raw deal," Mr. Dion said. "Canada is a family of provinces, territories and people, which has equity as its underpinning principle." In fact, the Minister stressed, "Canadians from coast to coast to coast are net beneficiaries of being partners in our country. Canada is a fair federation. It responds to the varying needs of its citizens and component regions, but it does so in a way that ensures all are treated in a just manner."

"I am confident that, in spite of the challenges we face, our federation will enter the 21st century strong and united," the Minister concluded. "Why? Well, one reason is my faith in the generosity of Canadians....Albertans are very generous Canadians and will contribute a lot to the movement for national reconciliation. Canadians do not pass by on the other side of the road. Our generosity and fair-mindedness will win out against interregional jealousies, and against those who seek to manipulate these jealousies for short-term political gain."

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For information:
André Lamarre
Press Secretary
(613) 943-1838

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