Wednesday, October 29, 2003

PRIORITIES AND OPPORTUNITY

A recently released survey by the Centre for Research and Information on Canada indicates that Canadians what to see better co-operation between federal and provincial governments and are concerned about the operation of our democratic institutions.

The poll results show improved inter-governmental relations to be a priority second only to health care and just a head of increased funding for education. No other priorities came close in importance to these three.

When asked, 70% of Canadians said that better federal relations were a priority for government. Further 70% again felt that both federal and provincial governments were equally to blame when relations between the two break down and only 42% feel that the two levels of government are currently functioning well together.

In todays Globe and Mail, Bob Rae commented on the survey saying the message behind these numbers is clear:

The message is directed at Ottawa and the head of every provincial and territorial government. Canadians are reluctant to take sides in federal-provincial disputes, and care little about who has jurisdiction. They hold federal and provincial leaders collectively accountable for the efficient running of programs and delivery of services (that may disappoint those who see blaming the other guy as a ticket to political success).

I think that he is right to say this is what the survey indicates. I think that the importance Canadians place on health and education is related to the importance they place on federal relations. I think, increasingly, Canadians are feeling that the quality of our valued social programs is eroding and that the inability of the provinces and Ottawa to get along is a big part of the problem.

Further, the survey indicates a large plurality of Canadians are concerned with the way our democratic institutions are functioning. The survey notes that 48% of Canadians believe that, "making significant changes to our political institutions to make them much more open and democratic" is a high priority.

Dr. Matthew Mendelsohn of Queens University commented that,

"the high figures for making democratic reform a priority show that Canadians are concerned about the state of their democracy. Health and education tough Canadian very directly… improving federal-provincial relations and the way democracy works are much more abstract and technical. That they score so high underscores some real dissatisfaction with the way governments make decisions."

Canadians clearly want a change in the way federalism operates but, in a typically Canadian fashion, they want the change to be on a practical, not a theoretical level. I argued somewhere below that Canadians are not ready for another round of mega-constitutional reform. This survey bears out that opinion. It found that 62% of Canadians felt it was not time to change the system by opening up the constitution for debate. Canadians don’t want to change the whole system, they just want their politicians to work better within it.

Most importantly we have an opportunity at this time to react to these concerns. There are new provincial governments in every Atlantic province as well as Ontario, Quebec and soon Saskatchewan. Within months Paul Martin will be prime minister. There are Liberal governments in Ottawa, Toronto and Quebec City for the first time since 1943. Paul Martin has said that the democratic deficit is going to be one of his priorities. Both Dalton McGuinty and Jean Charest have said co-operation with Ottawa is going to be a priority for them.

The demands from the citizenry are apparent. The will in government seems to be there. Canadians need to take this opportunity to make our government work better.

Posted by Matthew @ 7:45 p.m.