The Minister stated that the social programs that make up our social union reflect Canada’s shared values, our commitment to one another, our diversity and the unique advantages of our federal system. He reiterated the importance of ensuring that all Canadians have equal opportunity and access to programs that meet their basic needs. The history of the social union, he said "[...] is a story of the commitment of generations of Canadians to caring for one another and to accommodating our differences as we pursue our common purpose. Most impressive has been our ability simultaneously to achieve Canada-wide initiatives while enhancing the freedom of provinces to act for their residents."

Mr. Dion stressed the fact that Canada’s Constitution and our federal system have provided provinces the freedom to develop programs that are responsive to the specific needs of their residents. He added that our federal system has allowed governments to learn from each other and to ensure that all Canadians could benefit from the innovations of any one province.

While Canada has one of the best social systems in the world, the Minister noted, we face tremendous challenges – an aging population, globalization and the emerging information economy, new developments in medical technology – which make cooperation in the delivery of social and health policy more important than ever.

He added that negotiations on a new social union framework should be consistent with the fundamental principles of Canadian federalism:

The Constitution must be respected. - Respect for constitutional powers and jurisdictions is a prerequisite for clarity in public policy and represents the mutual respect essential to partnership.

We must show greater cooperation to meet the needs of Canadians. - Government jurisdictions touch on each other in almost all sectors, and governments must coordinate their work on behalf of Canadians now more than ever, given the challenges we face.

Government’s ability to act must be preserved. - Greater cooperation should not and cannot mean that governments cannot do anything without asking permission of all others.

The federation must be flexible and fair. - A new social partnership must take into account Canada’s diversity and must reflect a commitment to fairness and equity.

We must keep each other informed. - Governments should inform each other before they take action that may have a significant effect on each other. We must exchange information that will help us compare our performance, assess how we are doing and learn from each other.

We should enhance accountability to Canadians. - The framework should contribute to greater transparency and enhanced accountability. Canadians have a right to know who is doing what, how their money is being spent and what is being achieved.

The Minister offered a test to measure the success of our efforts: "Are Canadians better served? Are governments more transparent and accountable to Canadians? Are we in a better position to improve our health and social policies and to promote the well-being of Canadians in all parts of Canada? Have we improved mobility for Canadians? Have we achieved greater equality of opportunity in Canada?" These are questions that must guide governments’ efforts toward a new social union framework, he concluded.

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