Alberta Fact Check: Provincial autonomy is not up for negotiation
Giving Ottawa more control over provincial decisions would be a catastrophe, given the federal government can’t even manage its own payroll system. It certainly wouldn’t do the tourism industry in B.C. or the potash industry in Saskatchewan any favours if it took control of them.
Giles Gherson, president and CEO of the Toronto Region Board of Trade, has written a piece decrying the decentralized nature of Canada’s federation, calling it a “tyranny of small provincial differences.” The article comes as Canadian premiers meet in Charlottetown for their annual meeting.
He is correct in noting that differences in provincial regulations hinder labour mobility and some trade between provinces. The premiers could potentially agree to drop some of the interprovincial barriers to economic activity at the gathering. Gherson doesn’t just want to encourage premiers to cut trade deals, though. He hints at having Ottawa centralize more authority within the federation.
Canada was founded as a federation. Not a unitary state. One of the prime drivers of the growing independence movements from Alberta to Quebec has been federal overreach into provincial jurisdiction. If Ottawa were to begin eroding provincial economic authority further, it would inflame unity issues.
Fishery-based economies differ from manufacturing economies, which differ from agricultural economies, which differ from oil and gas-based economies. Region-based management of these economies allows for policies tailored to the unique needs of the provinces.
Putting the control of these economies into the hands of distant, centralized government would be a catastrophe. Ottawa can’t even manage its own payroll system. It certainly wouldn’t do the tourism industry in B.C. or the potash industry in Saskatchewan any favours if it took control of them.
Gherson exemplifies the Laurentian attitude in seeing Canada only through the Central Canadian lens. Cultural, economic and social differences in distant provinces are considered obstacles to be overcome rather than realities to be respected. Especially if they get in the way of Toronto’s interests.
If only Toronto and Ottawa could exert more control over those outlying provinces! They just don’t know what’s good for them.
Meanwhile, he neglects mentioning the one area of federal authority being abdicated by Ottawa, which is facilitating interprovincial infrastructure such as pipelines.
Devolution of authority to governments closer to the people is anything but tyranny.
Cory Morgan
Cory Morgan is an Alberta-based columnist, political commentator, and longtime advocate for Western Canadian independence. He is the author of the recently updated book The Sovereigntist’s Handbook, a grassroots guide for independence supporters and political activists.
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