The idea that the Harper Government will dismantle Canada is based on the mistaken notion that if significant powers are devolved by the Federal Government to the Provinces, the country has no reason to exist. Moreover, it presupposes that Stephen Harper, could, if he so wished, persuade his parliamentary caucus to adopt an openly separatist program.

Both assumptions are nonsense. The role of the Federal Government is to attend to the things that are Federal. The role of the Provincial Governments is to attend to the things that are Provincial. There are some things, which are Federal responsibilities, that the Provinces either could not do well for themselves or could not do at all. The defense of our territorial integrity is an obvious example.

If Canada broke up, the Provinces would have to re-invent the Federation in order to coordinate their defense efforts. This structure would have to ensure substantial transfers of wealth from one part of the country to another, for how else would the Arctic territories defend themselves?

Even then, there would be no guarantee of the new structure's viability. The U.S. for one, The U.S. for one, and quite likely others including the E.U. or China, would bid for association with various parts of the country: Alberta to the U.S., perhaps, the Territories to China or Russia, Québec to France and Newfoundland back to England. And while we're about it, why not split off Vancouver Island as a tax free banana republic without bananas. You could very well require three or four visas to travel from Charlottetown to Victoria. No wonder the Québec separatists want to hang on to their Canadian passports.

Permanent Link