This is from the Toronto Star; it would seem Harper might limit Ottawa's spending power in regards to provincial jurisdictions.
PM eyes limits on Ottawa's powers
Holds talks with several premiers
May mean change to Constitution
Nov. 10, 2006. 07:02 AM
SEAN GORDON
QUEBEC BUREAU CHIEF
MONTREAL—Prime Minister Stephen Harper is discreetly sounding out some provincial premiers about setting formal limits on Ottawa's powers, even if it means possibly reopening the Constitution, sources say.
While discussions are at a preliminary stage, officials in Ottawa and several provinces suggested constraints on the federal spending power could eventually take the form of a constitutional amendment explicitly restricting Ottawa to its own areas of exclusive jurisdiction — a move that would reshape federal-provincial relations.
Under the Constitution, provinces have jurisdiction over areas such as education, social programs, municipalities and health, whereas federal responsibilities include foreign affairs, fisheries, defence and employment insurance, for instance.
Quebec and federal sources wouldn't speak for the record, but it's understood Harper has raised the topic of redefining powers in one-on-one conversations with several provincial leaders, even if it remains distant on the political horizon.
Harper has met privately in the past 10 days with New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham, Quebec Premier Jean Charest, and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, and sources indicated he has spoken to others by phone, although it appears not all the premiers have recently been consulted on the issue.
A Quebec source acknowledged there have been "broad discussions" on the subject between the two governments over the past months, but didn't divulge the specific content of Charest's sit-down with Harper last Sunday.
"We haven't addressed any specific constitutional proposal," said the official, who nevertheless characterized an eventual limit on federal spending as "a good possibility."
Quebec Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Benoît Pelletier last week repeated the province's position that the time is not right to reopen the Constitution, and the official pointed out Charest remains adamantly opposed to constitutional talks in the short term.
But limits on Ottawa's spending power have been a key traditional demand of successive Quebec governments, who see it as a way to formalize the province's right to opt out of programs with full financial compensation from Ottawa.
It is also one of five key requirements for Quebec's acceptance of the Constitution.
"If we're going to look at (an amendment), it has to be a done deal, not a negotiation," said the senior official, who added the proposal could have considerable political allure in Quebec.
Nor is it a foregone conclusion Ottawa would win support from seven provinces representing at least 50 per cent of the population — the threshold for amending the Constitution.
"It's our view that it's almost impossible to open the Constitution for just one thing. Every province inevitably comes up with its add-ons, and then it becomes a rat's nest of demands, I can't see how we would go for it," said a senior government official from a Prairie province.
Officials in other provinces were similarly cool to the overtures, which Ottawa has made on the margins of the negotiations aimed at resolving the so-called "fiscal imbalance."
Provincial sources said federal Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Michael Chong made the rounds of the provincial capitals in late August and early September to meet with the premiers as part of the fiscal imbalance negotiations and to gauge support on the spending power limits.
A senior federal Conservative described the discussions as embryonic, saying it is "premature" to say Harper is proposing a full-blown constitutional amendment, and adding it's highly unlikely such a discussion will take place before the next federal election.
At the same time, the official said, Harper is determined to explore the question of defining the federal government's spending authority more clearly.
"It's on the table, (an amendment) is one of many options we're looking at. You can think of it as a menu, this is one of the things on it," the Tory said.
Officials surveyed in a handful of provincial capitals and in Ottawa urged caution, but some Quebec Tories clearly believe constitutional renewal around an achievable goal — like restricting Ottawa's ability to intervene in provincial jurisdictions such as child-care — is the party's political ace in the hole in the province.
There are also a number of shared jurisdictions, like transportation and the environment.
Squabbling over what constitutes whose jurisdiction has punctuated much of Canada's history, and any discussion of redefining those powers risks plunging the Tories into an internal debate over the Constitution.
Though many provinces are leery of entertaining constitutional change, Harper appears to be taking the political temperature on a debate that could well feature in the next federal campaign.
According to sources, discussions of limits on Ottawa's spending power have been taking place at the same time as negotiations intensify on the fiscal imbalance.
It now appears the federal and provincial finance ministers will meet next month as part of the ongoing talks.
"Our hope is there will be a significant gesture in the next federal budget," said a Western provincial official.
As the Tories work toward a settlement on the imbalance — likely to be a key election plank for both Harper and Charest, who may also go to the polls in 2007 — there are also indications in Conservative circles that discussions have picked up steam since the Liberals' Quebec wing raised the prospect of eventual constitutional recognition of the province's status as a civic nation.
That proposal has prompted considerable debate and sharp divisions within the Liberal party, but remains popular in Quebec. Conservatives inside the province have raised concerns about being outflanked as the federalist party most open to Quebec.
Many Tories also view federal decentralization as a wedge issue, and credit Harper's vision of "open federalism" with helping put the party back on the map in seat-rich Quebec.
And as a Quebec provincial government official pointed out: "this is the one aspect of Meech that hasn't really progressed much."
Harper first expressed concerns about the federal spending power in a landmark Dec. 19, 2005, speech in Quebec City that is widely credited with igniting the Tory revival in Quebec.
The issue of federal spending power has also been a matter of heated debate in constitutional law circles.
PM eyes limits on Ottawa's powers
Holds talks with several premiers
May mean change to Constitution
Nov. 10, 2006. 07:02 AM
SEAN GORDON
QUEBEC BUREAU CHIEF
MONTREAL—Prime Minister Stephen Harper is discreetly sounding out some provincial premiers about setting formal limits on Ottawa's powers, even if it means possibly reopening the Constitution, sources say.
While discussions are at a preliminary stage, officials in Ottawa and several provinces suggested constraints on the federal spending power could eventually take the form of a constitutional amendment explicitly restricting Ottawa to its own areas of exclusive jurisdiction — a move that would reshape federal-provincial relations.
Under the Constitution, provinces have jurisdiction over areas such as education, social programs, municipalities and health, whereas federal responsibilities include foreign affairs, fisheries, defence and employment insurance, for instance.
Quebec and federal sources wouldn't speak for the record, but it's understood Harper has raised the topic of redefining powers in one-on-one conversations with several provincial leaders, even if it remains distant on the political horizon.
Harper has met privately in the past 10 days with New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham, Quebec Premier Jean Charest, and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, and sources indicated he has spoken to others by phone, although it appears not all the premiers have recently been consulted on the issue.
A Quebec source acknowledged there have been "broad discussions" on the subject between the two governments over the past months, but didn't divulge the specific content of Charest's sit-down with Harper last Sunday.
"We haven't addressed any specific constitutional proposal," said the official, who nevertheless characterized an eventual limit on federal spending as "a good possibility."
Quebec Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Benoît Pelletier last week repeated the province's position that the time is not right to reopen the Constitution, and the official pointed out Charest remains adamantly opposed to constitutional talks in the short term.
But limits on Ottawa's spending power have been a key traditional demand of successive Quebec governments, who see it as a way to formalize the province's right to opt out of programs with full financial compensation from Ottawa.
It is also one of five key requirements for Quebec's acceptance of the Constitution.
"If we're going to look at (an amendment), it has to be a done deal, not a negotiation," said the senior official, who added the proposal could have considerable political allure in Quebec.
Nor is it a foregone conclusion Ottawa would win support from seven provinces representing at least 50 per cent of the population — the threshold for amending the Constitution.
"It's our view that it's almost impossible to open the Constitution for just one thing. Every province inevitably comes up with its add-ons, and then it becomes a rat's nest of demands, I can't see how we would go for it," said a senior government official from a Prairie province.
Officials in other provinces were similarly cool to the overtures, which Ottawa has made on the margins of the negotiations aimed at resolving the so-called "fiscal imbalance."
Provincial sources said federal Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Michael Chong made the rounds of the provincial capitals in late August and early September to meet with the premiers as part of the fiscal imbalance negotiations and to gauge support on the spending power limits.
A senior federal Conservative described the discussions as embryonic, saying it is "premature" to say Harper is proposing a full-blown constitutional amendment, and adding it's highly unlikely such a discussion will take place before the next federal election.
At the same time, the official said, Harper is determined to explore the question of defining the federal government's spending authority more clearly.
"It's on the table, (an amendment) is one of many options we're looking at. You can think of it as a menu, this is one of the things on it," the Tory said.
Officials surveyed in a handful of provincial capitals and in Ottawa urged caution, but some Quebec Tories clearly believe constitutional renewal around an achievable goal — like restricting Ottawa's ability to intervene in provincial jurisdictions such as child-care — is the party's political ace in the hole in the province.
There are also a number of shared jurisdictions, like transportation and the environment.
Squabbling over what constitutes whose jurisdiction has punctuated much of Canada's history, and any discussion of redefining those powers risks plunging the Tories into an internal debate over the Constitution.
Though many provinces are leery of entertaining constitutional change, Harper appears to be taking the political temperature on a debate that could well feature in the next federal campaign.
According to sources, discussions of limits on Ottawa's spending power have been taking place at the same time as negotiations intensify on the fiscal imbalance.
It now appears the federal and provincial finance ministers will meet next month as part of the ongoing talks.
"Our hope is there will be a significant gesture in the next federal budget," said a Western provincial official.
As the Tories work toward a settlement on the imbalance — likely to be a key election plank for both Harper and Charest, who may also go to the polls in 2007 — there are also indications in Conservative circles that discussions have picked up steam since the Liberals' Quebec wing raised the prospect of eventual constitutional recognition of the province's status as a civic nation.
That proposal has prompted considerable debate and sharp divisions within the Liberal party, but remains popular in Quebec. Conservatives inside the province have raised concerns about being outflanked as the federalist party most open to Quebec.
Many Tories also view federal decentralization as a wedge issue, and credit Harper's vision of "open federalism" with helping put the party back on the map in seat-rich Quebec.
And as a Quebec provincial government official pointed out: "this is the one aspect of Meech that hasn't really progressed much."
Harper first expressed concerns about the federal spending power in a landmark Dec. 19, 2005, speech in Quebec City that is widely credited with igniting the Tory revival in Quebec.
The issue of federal spending power has also been a matter of heated debate in constitutional law circles.
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