Toward A New Mission Statement For Canadian Fiscal Federalism

Canada: State of the Federation, 1999–2000 identifies and explains major threads in Canadian fiscal federalism. Set against the cacophony over domineering and arrogant centralization from supporters of Quebec sovereignty/session on the one hand, and fears that excessive decentralization is fuelling an obsessively neo-liberal agenda on the other, these essays replace much of this heat with new light. The authors begin with an examination of recent developments in the theoretical literature surrounding fiscal federalism. They then examine some of the major issues facing the federation – Is there a vertical imbalance between federal and provincial governments? Does Ottawa collect more revenues than are needed relative to its spending responsibilities while the provinces are under-funded? How do federal-provincial struggles over money and jurisdictional power affect local government or the para-public sector, emerging aboriginal governments, and citizens? Federal government actions in 1999 suggest that Ottawa has not lost all of its interest in social outcomes. It is, however, seeking to influence the well-being of citizens by transferring money to them directly rather than through transfers to provinces. The authors suggest that if this trend continues the approach to the millennium will be seen as a watershed in public policy, given that current trends in Canadian fiscal federalism are as much about re-balancing the federation as they are about decentralization.

Canada: State of the Federation, 1999-2000 identifies and explains major threads in Canadian fiscal federalism. Set against the cacophony over domineering and arrogant centralization from supporters of Quebec sovereignty/secession on the one hand, and fears that excessive decentralization is fuelling an obsessively neo-liberal agenda on the other, these essays replace much of this heat with new light. The authors begin with an examination of recent developments in the theoretical literature surrounding fiscal federalism. They then examine some of the major issues facing the federation -- Is there a vertical imbalance between federal and provincial governments? Does Ottawa collect more revenues than are needed relative to its spending responsibilities while the provinces are under-funded? How do federal-provincial struggles over money and jurisdictional power affect local government or the para-public sector, emerging aboriginal governments, and citizens? Federal government actions in 1999 suggest that Ottawa has not lost all of its interest in social outcomes. It is, however, seeking to influence the well-being of citizens by transferring money to them directly rather than through transfers to provinces. The authors suggest that if this trend continues the approach to the millennium will be seen as a watershed in public policy, given that current trends in Canadian fiscal federalism are as much about re-balancing the federation as they are about decentralization.

Social Union Framework evaluates the Social Union Framework Agreement (SUFA) as well as subsequent developments in intergovernmental relations as the deadline for the review of the Agreement approaches.

Featuring insights from some of the top specialists in the country, Fiscal Federalism in Canada unpacks numerous complexities of fiscal federalism in Canada. The book features key regional and provincial perspectives, while taking into account Indigenous realities, the three territories, and municipal affairs. The contributing authors go beyond the major federal transfers to examine the financing of education, cities, infrastructure, and housing. This volume shows that fiscal federalism is much more than simply an aggregate of individual programs and transfers. It highlights the role of actors other than the federal and provincial governments and recalls the importance of territoriality. The book pays close attention to the political dimension of fiscal federalism in Canada, which is at the heart of how the federation functions and is essential to its governance. Fiscal federalism is central to the funding of critical programs through intergovernmental transfers, but it is also the focus of political debates on territorial redistribution. In tackling essential questions, Fiscal Federalism in Canada contributes to the so-called second-generation fiscal federalism literature, taking stock of the critical sociological and political issues at its core.

Current tensions in intergovernmental fiscal arrangements are thus important impediment to improving the health care system. At the same time, the failure of provinces to correct health care problems acts a serious irritant in intergovernmental relations, creating a vicious cycle where deficiencies in intergovernmental fiscal relations make health care reform difficult while failures to effect health care reform increase conflict between the provinces and the federal government. This collection of essays analyses key issues in federal-provincial health care relations, particularly the fiscal component. The authors look at why there is a role for the federal government in health care and consider the critical issues in recent intergovernmental political battles over this role. The issues of whether the vertical federal-provincial fiscal imbalance is myth or reality, how much the federal government does and should contribute financially to provincial health care programs, and methods for settling disputes, such as those over user fees, are discussed. The authors also provide concrete proposals for reconstructing the federal-provincial partnership. Contributors include Keith Banting (Queen's University), Robin Boadway (Queen's University), David Cameron (University of Toronto), Harvey Lazar, Jennifer McCrea-Logie, France St-Hilaire, and Jean-François Tremblay.

The twelve papers in this third volume of the research program for the Romanow Commission offer a detailed analysis of the governance of health care in Canada from the perspective of constitutionalism, intergovernmental relations, and societal context. In the first section, the authors deal with the formal division of powers regarding health care as outlined in the Canadian constitution and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The second section outlines the strengths and weaknesses of the intergovernmental governance of health care. Finally, the third section focuses on governance of health care outside of the governmental sphere. The theme that resonates throughout the contributions - and which is in itself a call for deeper analysis - is that health care governance has become locked in a cycle of mutual recrimination, blame assigning, and blame avoidance from the federal and provincial levels right down to the level of the individual citizen.

Governance of the federation is more complex today than ever before: perennial issues of federalism remain unresolved, conflicts continue over the legitimacy of federal spending power, and the accommodation of Quebec nationalism and Aboriginal self-government within the federation is a persistent and precarious concern.From discussions on democracy and distinctiveness to explorations of self-governance and power imbalances, Constructing Tomorrow’s Federalism tests assertions from scholars and practitioners on the legitimacy and future of the state of the federation. In this broad collection of essays, fifteen scholars and political leaders identify options for the future governance of Canada and contribute to a renewed civic discourse on what it means to govern ourselves as a liberal democracy and a multinational federation.

This book addresses a variety of issues relating to intergovernmental finance and the provision and financing of local services including budgeting and financial management, the institutional framework for the conduct of intergovernmental relations, appropriate methods of service delivery in metropolitan agglomerations and remote rural areas, local government enterprises, user charges, property taxes, income and value-added taxes, natural resource taxes, and local business taxes. Throughout, the authors draw on experience both in Canada and in other decentralized countries and consider to vary.