Canada is a big country, and it's always been difficult to govern. There has always been a tug-of-war between the federal government and the provinces. But the road ahead will be very problematic. Susan Delacourt writes:
It was Pierre Trudeau, father of the current prime minister, who famously said many decades ago that Ottawa should be more than a “head waiter to the provinces” when it came to constitutional matters and national government.
Now, roughly 40 years later, his son is contending with an array of provinces who would like to see the federal government even further demoted — to a busboy, perhaps.
In the 2022 version of constitutional drama in this country, provinces are looking at the supreme law of the land as a pick-and-choose buffet of authority, which premiers can select or reject as they like.
In the past few weeks, the spotlight has shifted to Alberta:
Alberta’s new premier, Danielle Smith, has put this cafeteria constitutionalism into the spotlight with her promised “sovereignty act.” Details are still to come; Smith was only sworn in formally on Tuesday. What we do know is that Smith is arguing that if Alberta sees its interests in conflict with federal laws, it reserves the right to resist.
On Tuesday, the same day Smith was sworn in, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe sidled up to the buffet with the release of a policy paper called “Drawing the Line,” in which the province argues it needs less of Ottawa in its life.
“We need a more autonomous approach to be a stronger province in Confederation,” the policy paper states.
Saskatchewan and Alberta have been saying for some time now that their opt-in view of federalism is far from radical and in fact, it is what Quebec has been practising with some considerable clout in this country for generations.
Smith did a round of media interviews over the weekend in which she said repeatedly that her sovereignty act would allow Alberta to be more like Quebec. Moe’s new policy paper also specifically credits Quebec with inspiration for “drawing the line.”
Canadians are sleepwalking through this crisis:
In my colleague Althia Raj’s latest podcast, devoted to the national-cohesion crisis that no one seems to be noticing, constitutional lawyer Marion Sandilands warns that pick-and-choose federalism is no way to run a united country.
In the case of Quebec, Sandilands said: “I think what we are seeing is not through a referendum, but independence bit by bit. … You know, there’s no one radical break, but I think over time, we’ll wake up one day and Quebec won’t really be a province anymore.”
And it’s spreading through other provinces too, even Ontario, where Premier Doug Ford’s government has twice now said it was willing to use the notwithstanding clause to pass laws that flew in the face of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
“I think we’re seeing tremors in the federation and in the Constitution and they’re all rooted in kind of different things, different contexts, different frustrations, different aggravations, but they have a common theme — this kind of rejection of the role of the courts,” Sandilands said.
All of this talk of sovereignty, drawing the line and unilaterally modifying the Constitution (as Quebec is proposing with its language laws) is the opposite — focused instead on where the provinces want to stage their own resistance.
As I wrote five days ago, things don't bode well for the future.
Image: pqbnews.com
14 comments:
It is erroneous to include BC in the equation.
As for Alberta and Saskatchewan the real issue is the exploitation of oil and gas, the rest is deflection.
It's time to find out just who is backing, financially, these separatist movements!
TB
" things don't bode well for the future"
me thinks that bigger calamities will soon render the issues undermining Canadian federalism as trivial but they do portend a
'fight over what's left'
vs
'sharing the earth's bounty'
You're right about BC, TB. And it's always wise to follow the money.
The pandemic has accelerated the crisis of sharing, PoV.
I'll give you a call when I get the e-mail that says stop sending in my federal tax to Ottawa and there's a new address in Kenya to send it to.
Our elected Kenyan might out Nigerian those other princes yet
(Hint: Alberta is ripe for a scam like that and the rubes are eager if your of that inclination.)
We lived in Alberta for a while, lungta. There's a different mindset out there.
PICK AND CHOOSE, federalism which some provinces think they'd like, well its O.K. with me but if they want to pick and choose what they want, I don't want my tax dollars to go to those provines. These provinces want all the benefits of being in Canada and then have their own political agenda on top of that.
Trudeau could tell those provinces, fine, have your way but we're keeping the transfer payments except for health care and this is how it must be spent or we'll withdraw that also. Enough is enough. I'm sure Trudeau will have some support on a reduction of transfer monies to these provinces. It would certainly reduce taxes.
As ot a western Canadian Alliance, tying B.C. to those 3 other provinces would not be in our best interest. Can't see what they have to offer B.C. nor are the Premiers the brightest on record.
How about if every province had its own Bloc? They could take a week after the election in each other's back rooms to come up with a coalition that had the numbers to govern. Any elected member who didn't go along and couldn't wait four years to mouth off would be shot and pissed on.
here's a start..
https://pressprogress.ca/group-funded-by-oil-industry-pushed-memes-attacking-public-health-orders-in-alberta-separatist-groups/
TB
BC would be wise to ignore the advice of Ms. Smith and Mr. Moe, e.a.f.
I wouldn't put it past some to seriously consider that option, John.
Unfortunately, that story isn't surprising, TB.
I don't know, Owen, having grown up in the only province west of AB and SK I have come to the conclusion that in both provinces all babies must be vaccinated with a Con/Reform phonograph needle at birth.
When you consider that Tommy Douglas, a Baptist Church minister and CCF MP, was able to convince the Liberals in Parliament to implement something as radical as the Canada Health Act and the Canada Pension Plan is amazing.
We are, indeed, fortunate that the Liberal Party realized the wisdom of looking seriously and indeed implementing both of those programs that benefit ALL Canadians. Unfortunately, even the old Progressive Conservatives had a hard time going along with it but it did pass.
However, the Reform faction of to-day would fight tooth and nail against any programs like that. I also notice that no Canadian Parliament that I can recall has embarked on any programs that benefit the masses since then. It is rather telling, don't you think?
Very telling, Lulymay. Tommy Douglas would be appalled.
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