Pierre Trudeau famously quipped that Joe Clark wanted to be "headwaiter to the provinces." Susan Delacourt writes that his son will be no headwaiter:
In the years since Trudeau the elder left the scene, his successors have adopted a number of other approaches to the provinces, from the deferential to the collaborative to the virtually absent. From obsequious waiter to dumbwaiter, you might say.
But now it’s looking like we’d better get used to Ottawa coming to the federal-provincial table with some sharp and definite views about what’s on the menu. Even as the provinces grapple with Ottawa’s ultimatum on carbon pricing, delivered just weeks ago, they’re now being told that federal money for health will come with conditions attached.
Yesterday, Jane Philpott's meeting with provincial health ministers broke up without any progress on negotiating a new health accord. The provinces want more money. The Feds want to carefully track what happens to new money:
In September, Philpott declared: “It’s time to reclaim the political will, time and resources to develop and implement bold reforms in the funding and organization of front line delivery.”
It’s been a while since we’ve heard a health minister (or a prime minister, for that matter) declare that money going to the provinces for social programs would have strings attached. “Reclaiming the political will,” in that context, sounds a bit like a government that’s decided it wants to be more than a valet to the provinces.
Trudeau declared that he wanted to establish a new relationship with the provinces. The provinces want to keep the old one. Ay, there's the rub.
Image: CBC
10 comments:
Sometimes I wonder if Canada as a nation now constructed makes any sense. Maybe we would be better off with a EU of Canada. Certianly Ontario and Quebec would become very rich nations.
You might have noticed, Steve, that things are not going very well these days for the EU.
The EU is a victim of its own hubris. Its just like free trade. You cant say Germany and Greece are equals just because you say so. Canada as four countries, the west, Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes would have more cohesion. Plus we could beg off imperial tribute.
John A. will haunt you in your dreams, Steve.
I lived 7 years in Austria, at that time it was a utopian experience. Canada should be much better, so what is holding us back?
We're a big, diverse country, Steve. That means we're not easy to govern.
The struggle is joined. What remains is to see which side will prevail. Trudeau has already shown that his bark is to be feared more than his bite. Pipelines and supertankers are still on the agenda. Climate change has been shown to a seat in the back of the bus. The Saudi business, BDS, CSIS - a load of hot air.
This is where the difference between rhetoric and policy becomes clear, Mound.
I think, Owen, that the Feds should ask for or conduct a full audit as to where the transfer funds end up and exactly where they are expended. I think we would find they go into that wonderful pot called "General Revenue" and are dispersed wherever the current provincial politicians see fit. In BC, that $136/month - soon to become more than $150/month I pay each and every month goes to "Revenue Services, Province of BC"
and that collective revenue exceeds what the current government asks for royalties on all of our natural resources right now.
As well, other jurisdictions have already discovered that the delivery of health care through an organization called Health Authority, complete with its high level of highly paid executives, is just another sink hole for money without demonstrating any real health care outcomes. They keep shutting down more beds in order to make room for more highly paid executives - and all seems to support the same political party. Funny how that works, isn't it?
Strange, isn't it, Lulymay? It's simple, really. If you want more money, you have to account for the way it's spent.
Post a Comment