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I've never ever thought of myself as an Ontar-io-io-ian.I'm am a Canadian.
You have a choice. One people working together to realize the potential of the most endowed land in the world.
Or whatever you prefer to this.
As in all I write dispute what's written if such is your direction for our future.
Should you agree pass the thoughts on . . . and if you do add my address to you post, please.
Sometimes it's a pleasure to know the time and effort's worthwhile.
__________________________________
Subject: Harper's platform slogan farcical.
The Conservative Party's platform slogan, "the TRUE NORTH STRONG AND FREE", http://www.conservative.ca/media/20081007-Platform-e.pdf, varies only in its lower case "the" from what greets a person visiting the Government of Canada website, "THE TRUE NORTH STRONG AND FREE" http://www.gc.ca/ .
If charged with conducting election advertising using a means of transmission of the Government of Canada as prohibited by Section 321 (1) of the Canada Elections Act the only argument available is that they are not the same: there is a difference between "the" and "THE". http://www.elections.ca/content.asp?section=loi&document=part16&dir=leg/fel/cea&lang=e&textonly=false
Questionable in the slogan is concern over Canada being "STRONG".
Two policy planks, "Respecting the Provinces and Territories, Establishing a Charter of Open Federalism" and "Limiting the Federal Spending Power", would immeasurably weaken the ability of the Government of Canada to play a role in the lives of Canadians.
Enshrining "our principles of federalism in a new Charter of Open Federalism.".would be making into law the 20 New Confederation proposals made by Stephen Harper and Preston Manning. Decision making power would be shifted from the Government of all of Canada and us as Canadians to the Governments of its parts. The "our" would not include John A. Macdonald who framed the BNA Act, John Diefenbaker who believed in One Canada, nor Robert Stanfield who when confronted by sovereintists at a policy conference in 1969 said in my hearing "Uh, Mother knows best".
That the Federal ,powers to take action ffor the common good is absolutely clear in regard to the Federal powers of Disallowance and Declaration which were included in the British North America Act with "the evident intention of the framers of the Act that the provinces should be subordinate to the Dominion." and which were maintained within the 1980's restructuring of our Constitution http://faculty.marianopolis.edu/c.belanger/quebechistory/encyclopedia/Disallowance.html
That "Disallowance, Reserve and Declaratory Powers remain dormant under a Reform government." and thus would do so under a Conservative Party successor majority government is clear for this is one of the Manning-Harper proposals.
Rather than strengthening the Federal governments ability to serve all Canadian the aim is to pass power into the hands autonomous provinces under the pretense that the local powers they were given in the 1860's entitle them to sovereign powers in 2008.
Local matters local then are nation wide to-day. A realistic approach is to consider which aspects of our way of life would better be served by being nation wide rather than differing when provincial borders are crossed. Differences that will grow exponentially should the farcical proposals that promise a STRONG Canada while leading to the opposite be enacted by a majority Harper Government.
Joe Hueglin
DOCUMENTATION OF STATEMENTS MADE
ELECTIONS ACT
From Section 321. (1) of the Canada Elections Act: "No person shall knowingly conduct election advertising or cause it to be conducted using a means of transmission of the Government of Canada." As defined in the Act, "'election advertising' means the transmission to the public by any means during an election period of an advertising message that promotes or opposes a registered party or the election of a candidate, including one that takes a position on an issue with which a registered party or candidate is associated [emphasis mine]." http://www.elections.ca/content.asp?section=loi&document=part16&dir=leg/fel/cea&lang=e&textonly=false
PLATFORM PROPOSALS page 28:
Respecting the Provinces and Territories,
Establishing a Charter of Open Federalism
A re-elected Conservative Government led by Stephen Harper will respect the
jurisdiction of the provinces and territories in the Constitution Act, 1867, and will
enshrine our principles of federalism in a new Charter of Open Federalism.
Limiting the Federal Spending Power
A re-elected Conservative Government led by Stephen Harper will ensure that any new
shared-cost program in an area of provincial or territorial responsibility has the consent
of the majority of provinces to proceed, and that provinces should be given the right to
opt out of the federal program with compensation, so long as the province offers a similar
program with similar accountability structures.
http://www.conservative.ca/media/20081007-Platform-e.pdf
DECLARATORY POWERS
Under section 92(10)(c) of the BNA Act, Parliament may unilaterally declare "local" works situated solely within provincial boundaries and within provincial jurisdiction to be for the general advantage of Canada or for the advantage of two or more provinces and hence subject to central jurisdiction. http://www.uni.ca/initiatives/pr_7.html
NEW CONFEDERATION PROPOSALS
October 14, 1995
Reform presents New Confederation proposals
OTTAWA - Reform Party Leader Preston Manning and unity critic Stephen Harper today presented Reform's New Confederation proposals, a package of 20 measures to modernize and .decentralize Canada."Our proposals would permit future governments to respond more effectively to the needs of ordinary Canadians by reducing Ottawa's centralizing powers, which are historically a frustration to those both inside and outside Quebec," said Manning.
Among the 20 proposals, Reform would guarantee provincial control over natural resources, language and culture. Reform would also change the federal role in regards to provincially administered social services such as welfare, education and health care. Reform would foster, cooperative agreements rather than impose unilateral standards by threatening to withhold federal funding.
' "We propose measures which will assert the autonomy of all provinces and the power of the people well into the future," said Harper. "Canadians have long been concerned about concentrating too much power in the hands. of the federal executive and cabinet. Canadians are demanding a new and more accountable system of government."
Each of the 20 changes proposed by the Reform party could be accomplished without comprehensive federal-provincial negotiations of the sort that led to the failed Meech Lake and Charlottetown accords, In all cases, Reform's New Confederation proposals simply require a federal government that is willing to act.
"Canadians want change, not more constitutional wrangling " said Harper. Reform's proposals can be accomplished without re-opening old constitutional wounds ".
Reforms proposals would retain key federal powers to maintain a common economic space, eliminate internal trade barriers, create and coordinate important areas of economic regulations and represent Canada effectively in international trader negotiations, defence and foreign affairs.
Canadians told us they want Canada to be a balanced and equal federation in which Ottawa plays a cooperative rather than domineering role" added Harper. This is what we propose. There will be no special status, formally or informally, for Quebec or any other province.
Reforms New Confederation proposals include:
Natural Resources
Guarantee exclusive provincial control,
Manpower Training
Guarantee exclusive provincial control.
Social Services
Change the role of the federal government to foster cooperative Interprovincial agreements
rather than imposing unilateral standards by withholding transfer payments.
Language
Replace the Official Languages Act with a new law, the Regional Bilingualism Act, that would
recognize the demographic and linguistic realities of Canada and the practices of provincia1
authorities.
Culture
Make provincial governments the primary providers and guardians of cultural services and
primary regulators of cultural industries.
Municipal Affairs
Strengthen the role of municipal governments in the delivery of essential services.
Housing
Guaranteed exclusive provincial control.
Tourism
Guarantee exclusive provincial control.
Sports and Recreation
Guaranteed exclusive provincial control,
Spending Power
Forbid new Federal spending programs in provincial jurisdictions.
Transfers to the Provinces
Replace federal cash block grants with tax point grants.
Charter Challenges
End the Court Challenges program and tax-funded court challenges of provincial legislation.
Disallowance, Reserve and Declaratory Powers
Remain dormant under a Reform government.
REFORM OF INSTITUTIONS
House of Cornmons .
Permit greater freedom for individual MPs; wider use of referenda, citizens initiatives
and recall.
Senate of Canada
All future appointments to the Senate would be made by means of elections on the model of the
1989 Alberta Senate selection process,
Supreme Court and Judiciary
Future appointments to the Supreme Court of Canada would be made by the provincial
legislatures; all appointments reviewed by elected Senate.
Bank of Canada
Future board appointments made by provincial Legislatures. Ottawa would continue to select.
the Governor of the Bank.
Lieutenant Governors
Appointed by provincial legislatures.
Tax, Debt and Expenditure Limitation
Unilaterally amend the Constitution to forbid deficit spending or rapid spending increases,
except when authorized by a national referendum.
Constitutional Referendums
Introduce a motion in the House of Commons that all future constitutional amendments must
be approved by majorities in all regions of Canada through a referendum.
For further information please contact: Larry Welsh (613) 492-2815
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