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Antiloop33rpm
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Ottawa needs to respect provincial jurisdiction, Harper says
Last Updated Thu, 19 Jan 2006 18:33:25 EST
CBC News
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper said he has no plans to download responsibilities to the provinces, saying instead the federal government should respect provincial jurisdiction.
"I'm not advocating any radical devolution," Harper said Thursday during a CBC News Town Hall meeting hosted by Peter Mansbridge. The broadcast is airing on a special edition of The National on CBC TV and CBC Newsworld.
Harper said it's time for the federal government to "get on" with running its own levels of jurisdiction properly. He said Ottawa should be focusing on issues like international treaties, foreign aid, national defence and economic union.
"A lot of these uncontested areas of federal jurisdiction are some of the worst run things in Ottawa," Harper said.
Harper has been criticized by his political opponents for wanting to devolve powers to the province, thereby weakening Ottawa.
On Wednesday, Buzz Hargrove, president of the Canadian Auto Workers union, appeared at a Liberal campaign event and told reporters that Harper's policies on federal-provincial relations were essentially separatist.
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My question is, what exactly is he reffering to when he talks about greater autonomy for the provinces? In the case of Quebec, a lot of their autonomy issues involve downloading and taking over some of the tasks that are currently done at the federal level (I also predict that Gilles within the next 24 hours will take another swipe at Harper over this. Today it was about his stance on french in Quebec, tommorow, autonomy). So is the autonomy Harper is reffering too simply financial? Or is there another aspect to this issue that I am completely missing?
Last Updated Thu, 19 Jan 2006 18:33:25 EST
CBC News
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper said he has no plans to download responsibilities to the provinces, saying instead the federal government should respect provincial jurisdiction.
"I'm not advocating any radical devolution," Harper said Thursday during a CBC News Town Hall meeting hosted by Peter Mansbridge. The broadcast is airing on a special edition of The National on CBC TV and CBC Newsworld.
Harper said it's time for the federal government to "get on" with running its own levels of jurisdiction properly. He said Ottawa should be focusing on issues like international treaties, foreign aid, national defence and economic union.
"A lot of these uncontested areas of federal jurisdiction are some of the worst run things in Ottawa," Harper said.
Harper has been criticized by his political opponents for wanting to devolve powers to the province, thereby weakening Ottawa.
On Wednesday, Buzz Hargrove, president of the Canadian Auto Workers union, appeared at a Liberal campaign event and told reporters that Harper's policies on federal-provincial relations were essentially separatist.
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My question is, what exactly is he reffering to when he talks about greater autonomy for the provinces? In the case of Quebec, a lot of their autonomy issues involve downloading and taking over some of the tasks that are currently done at the federal level (I also predict that Gilles within the next 24 hours will take another swipe at Harper over this. Today it was about his stance on french in Quebec, tommorow, autonomy). So is the autonomy Harper is reffering too simply financial? Or is there another aspect to this issue that I am completely missing?