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The 1999 Speech from the Throne:
Strong and United Country
October 12, 1999
A high quality of life for Canadians and a strong, united Canada are inseparable. The excellent quality of life we have built is a reflection of our success as a people in overcoming our differences.
Our federal system has fostered a Canadian genius for compromise, common effort and common provision. A genius which has allowed us to renew and adapt the federation to reflect our diverse, regional needs, and to keep up with changing times and circumstances.
It is a flexible framework in which we have become one of the wealthiest industrial nations in the world. That has achieved the protection of two official languages; a guarantee of equal rights and freedoms for all Canadians; and, the sharing of our national wealth among all of our citizens – wherever they live.
The government is taking a comprehensive approach to strengthening Canada by enhancing the quality of life of all Canadians through a balanced approach of reducing the debt burden, cutting taxes and making strategic investments in the top priorities of Canadians.
Working with our provincial and territorial partners we have also made extraordinary progress in renewing the federation to suit the needs of Canadians as we approach the new century.
A Record of Achievement
We concluded the Social Union Framework Agreement which provides a new way for governments to work together to address the changing social needs of Canadians.
We implemented the National Child Benefit – the most innovative new social program since medicare.
We have signed 11 labour market agreements with the provinces and territories.
We have undertaken five Team Canada Trade missions, with the Prime Minister, all Premiers and Territorial Leaders and business leaders working together to bring back over $24 billion in new contracts, and creating hundreds of thousands of Canadian jobs.
The Parliament of Canada passed legislation providing a veto to all five regions of Canada over future changes to the Constitution.
The Government of Canada voluntarily limited its Spending Power in 1996, and devolved certain activities to Provincial governments in order to build a better partnership with them.
1999 SFT Commitments
The best way to make Canada the place to be in the 21st century is for all Canadians to continue working together to build the best quality of life.
This will require national will, national strategies and partnerships across the country -- a partnership of citizens and government.
At the same time we must be mindful that there are some who believe that it would be better to separate, to pull apart rather than work together. We must act responsibly in this context.
We reaffirm that the principles of clarity, as set out in the decision of the Supreme Court of Canada, are respected.
We will:
• Continue to take an integrated approach to strengthening the unity of our country. All our actions will serve to strengthen Canada by enhancing the quality of life of citizens;
• Meet our obligation to ensure that the country is never divided as a result of ambiguity, confusion or misunderstanding;
• We must take bold steps today to make Canada even stronger in the next century – concentrating on what matters most to citizens.
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