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  #1  
Old Posted Sep 19, 2014, 4:36 AM
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Question What inter-provincial agreement would you MOST like to see in Canada?

Following the Scottish referendum, thinking about politics, how federations/unions function.

I'm a big supporter of devolution, more powers to the provinces. I want Canada to be as decentralized as possible. But... that comes with a lot of disadvantages. Even our current divisions of responsibilities between the federal government and the provinces creates problems.

One of them is the agreement I'd most like to see:

One between Quebec and Newfoundland to build a highway-quality link between the provinces. Quebec would have to complete its highway to Blanc Sablon to highway standards. It's basically a highway to nowhere for them, which is why it hasn't happened.

Newfoundland would have to build a land link between the island and Labrador, and upgrade the highway from southern Labrador to Blanc Sablon.

The benefit for us would be tremendous:

That route would add less than 100 km to the driving distance from Montreal to St. John's, but it would completely eliminate a 6-19 hour ferry ride, and related weather delays. The benefits to our economy would be absolutely enormous and the quality of goods and services available on the island (for example, produce) would either be better or more reliably good.

But it'll never happen because highways are a provincial responsibility and there's no business case for Quebec to do its portion.

So, what about you? What deal would you most like to see between your province and another?
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  #2  
Old Posted Sep 19, 2014, 4:39 AM
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I'd like an all-province agreement on mutual recognition of professional accreditations for doctors, accountants, lawyers, etc, etc. The current protectionist arrangements are asinine, imho.
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  #3  
Old Posted Sep 19, 2014, 4:40 AM
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Oh, nice one!
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Old Posted Sep 19, 2014, 4:56 AM
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I'd like for an agreement between the feds & the provinces on fiscal balance. The federal government would agree to cut its tax rates by a certain amount and then the provinces would raise their tax rates by the exact same amount.

One thing in Canada we've seen in recent years is that the federal government is much more fiscally sound than the provinces. The feds collect most tax revenue even though the provinces have the most spending responsibilities. Traditionally transfer payments like the Canada Health Transfer balance this out but as we've seen it becomes too tempting for the feds to use that money for their own ends like balancing their own budget, etc.

I'd like to see next year's federal surplus spent on cutting the GST by 1%. Incidentally, the cost of doing so is about equal to the size of the projected surplus. Then the provinces raise their sales taxes by 1% each. Alberta which doesn't have a provincial sales tax can introduce a new 1% provincial sales tax under an HST agreement (meaning no extra admin work for AB).

That would effectively put $6B of revenue out of federal hands and into provincial hands. A small step, but a good one.

Equalization payments would have to remain to deal with mobility issues, ie. the issue of Nova Scotians living in Alberta during their working age years when they're paying taxes but living in NS during their childhood & old age.
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Old Posted Sep 19, 2014, 5:47 AM
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  #6  
Old Posted Sep 19, 2014, 11:10 AM
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Are we talking about inter-provincial agreements or federal-provincial agreements here?

If we are talking inter-provincial agreements then the suggestion about professional certifications is a good one.

On the federal-provincial level there are a bunch of things that need to be rejigged.

Highway transportation should have always been federal.

Language and culture should be provincial.

Just two examples.
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Old Posted Sep 19, 2014, 1:05 PM
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Two I'd like to see, one that seems fairly likely at the moment, the other less so. The first would be an agreement for the purchase of electricity by Ontario from Quebec. The second would be an Ontario - Canada agreement on immigration that approximates the one in place with Quebec (without the wasteful international infrastructure).
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Old Posted Sep 19, 2014, 1:44 PM
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Standardise healthcare so you don't have to buy insurance when going to other provinces. Your home province should just cover it and fares should be kept the same.
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Old Posted Sep 19, 2014, 3:05 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kwoldtimer View Post
I'd like an all-province agreement on mutual recognition of professional accreditations for doctors, accountants, lawyers, etc, etc. The current protectionist arrangements are asinine, imho.
If I recall, this is something that was done in the west with BC and AB (TILMA). They had invited the other provinces to join in with them and do the same several years back but only SK agreed. So there is some work being done on this front. Hopefully as more time passes and it makes things smoother for people this is something that will go across Canada.
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  #10  
Old Posted Sep 19, 2014, 3:17 PM
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Originally Posted by Acajack View Post
Ar
Highway transportation should have always been federal.
It could be possible with all major highways receiving the Trans Canada designation and the Provinces with the Feds agreeing that the Feds will pay for building and maintaining the Trans Canada network similar to the US interstate system. The money would be allocated by the Feds based on where it is needed. The Feds if they put their mind to it could build the system outright across Canada as needed to full freeway standards and ensure top notch highways throughout Canada. This includes linking the island of NFLD to Labrador and extending the highway within Quebec. Expanding the highway from Alberta and Northern BC to the territories, and in addition, having the highways go to the ports in NWT (Tuk gets a year round highway with a proper port for Defence and movement of goods). We could also do the same for Churchill etc. You just need the feds to do this on a national level. I know dreaming but hey its what we need.
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Old Posted Sep 19, 2014, 3:23 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kwoldtimer View Post
I'd like an all-province agreement on mutual recognition of professional accreditations for doctors, accountants, lawyers, etc, etc. The current protectionist arrangements are asinine, imho.
x10
It is very difficult for Military spouses to maintain their careers as their significant other is posted about the country. There should also be a National Health Card for dependants and maybe a national drivers liscence as well.

But each province likes to feather their own nests so these ideas will likely never come to pass.
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  #12  
Old Posted Sep 19, 2014, 3:31 PM
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Energy corridors which accommodate free access for power transmission.
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Old Posted Sep 19, 2014, 3:46 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by big W View Post
If I recall, this is something that was done in the west with BC and AB (TILMA). They had invited the other provinces to join in with them and do the same several years back but only SK agreed. So there is some work being done on this front. Hopefully as more time passes and it makes things smoother for people this is something that will go across Canada.
I'd like to think that this has come up at the Western Premier's conference, but I'm not sure of the specifics. AFAIK, the Premier's of B.C., AB, SK, MB, and the N.W.T. are all on board with the plan to reduce trade barriers (of both people and goods) and harmonization of regulations.
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Old Posted Sep 19, 2014, 4:01 PM
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There won't be many fans of this on here I am sure but I'd like to see citizenship devolved more to the provinces much the same way they do it in Switzerland. Federal oversight would be a security check by the RCMP and CSIS.
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Old Posted Sep 19, 2014, 4:06 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by big W View Post
If I recall, this is something that was done in the west with BC and AB (TILMA). They had invited the other provinces to join in with them and do the same several years back but only SK agreed. So there is some work being done on this front. Hopefully as more time passes and it makes things smoother for people this is something that will go across Canada.
See also The New West Partnership. - http://www.newwestpartnershiptrade.ca/

This has been in the news a lot recently. - http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/08...een-provinces/
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  #16  
Old Posted Sep 19, 2014, 4:24 PM
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There won't be many fans of this on here I am sure but I'd like to see citizenship devolved more to the provinces much the same way they do it in Switzerland. Federal oversight would be a security check by the RCMP and CSIS.
That's a new one to me. What would be the advantage to that, apart from a lot of new bureaucratic duplication?
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Old Posted Sep 19, 2014, 4:29 PM
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Standardise healthcare so you don't have to buy insurance when going to other provinces. Your home province should just cover it and fares should be kept the same.
Don't we already have that?
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Old Posted Sep 19, 2014, 4:41 PM
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Don't we already have that?
Yeah, the Canada Health Act already requires that provinces extend coverage for medically necessary procedures to legal residents who are travelling within Canada. I only purchase travel insurance when leaving the country.
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Old Posted Sep 19, 2014, 4:59 PM
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Don't we already have that?
Yes, but we should go further and make health care a federal authority. Population mobility is greater today than ever before—it's ridiculous that health care is a provincial matter. I can't think of any other nation in the world where health coverage is a matter of what are, essentially, local jursdictions. It makes things absurdly complicated when moving between provinces and results in varying standards of care. As well as anomalies like New Brunswick's ass-backwards abortion situation. It should be federally administered.
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  #20  
Old Posted Sep 19, 2014, 5:05 PM
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Athena Health Centre in St. John's is the last private abortion clinic in Atlantic Canada. That's unfortunate. I'm certainly not pro-abortion and I support as much sexual education and easy access to contraceptives as we can possibly provide to reduce the necessity for it, but it should always be easily, readily, and affordably available for all women.

So yeah, I agree with moving healthcare up to the feds. That's a good suggestion.
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