2012 State of the Federation:
Regions, Resources and Resiliency

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 Kingston, Ontario
November 29, 30, and December 1

              

As recent Canadian debates about resource development, ‘Dutch disease’, and employment insurance demonstrate, regional tensions remain alive and well in the Canadian federation. Past regional disputes often centered on questions of federal government ‘fairness’ to particular provinces, most notably Quebec. While the outcome of the recent Quebec election will likely re-open and broaden those debates, the  economic, political and social implications of the unequal distribution of natural and human resources among provinces will remain.  In the current market, natural resource-rich provinces, including Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland and Labrador, enjoy fiscal capacities far superior to other provinces, and wrestle with labour market supply challenges.  At the same time, provinces with fewer natural resource industries, including Ontario and Quebec, struggle with manufacturing industry decline and relatively high unemployment.  Such differences lead to (often heated) discussions about the impact of natural resource economies on the value of the dollar, the appropriate model for employment insurance, and the federal equalization program, among other issues. 

The State of the Federation 2012 conference will bring together academics, policymakers and politicians to engage in a constructive dialogue about regionalism, resources, and the resiliency of the Canadian federal system, keeping in mind the  renewed challenge created by the election of the Parti Québecois.  Questions to be considered will include:

• How do provincial and regional differences in economic capacity impact upon Canadian federalism? Do the current economic strains represent a unique challenge to Canadian national unity, or do they simply reflect the country's long history of regionalism?
• To what extent do Canada's natural resource industries benefit the Canadian economy? To what extent do they create pressures for other industries? Do Canada's federal institutions hinder or promote the ability of the economy to respond to global economic shifts?
• Should Canada pursue national policy approaches, such as a national energy strategy, in areas of provincial or concurrent jurisdiction? If so, what national approaches are needed and how can they be achieved?
• Do the current intergovernmental structures allow for constructive dialogue about national policy issues? Are other institutional arrangements require?
• Does Canada need new concepts of provincial and regional 'fairness' and 'equity'?
• What lessons, if any, might be learned from other federal systems? What lessons might be learned from Canada’s past?
• How will the recent Quebec election change the Canadian landscape and the way we address new and not-so-new challenges?

Preliminary Conference Scheme

Themes & Key Questions:

1. Current Context of Canada's Economy and Federalism

What is the current economic challenge for Canada? What is triggering this conversation now? How does this fit into historical perspective? What is the international context?

2. Lessons from other Federations

What is going on in other federations (E.U., Australia)? What has occurred in Canada's past?

3. Canada's Economy, Productivity, and Considerations of 'Dutch Disease'

What is the situation? What tools are available to address the problem? What is the policy response?

4. Considering National Approaches to Energy Policy

Do we need pan-Canadian approaches?

5. National Economy and its Policy Implications

Do we have a regional versus national economy?

6. Canada's Economy and the Institutions of Federalism

Do our interprovincial arrangements help or hinder? Can our institutions cope?

7. Being Canadian Today: National Identity, Public Attitudes and the Canadian Social Fabric

 

The Institute is proud to be hosting the 2012 State of the Federation conference in conjunction with the University of Toronto's School of Public Policy & Governance.

 

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The Institute is pleased to acknowledge the financial support of:

 

The Institute gratefully acknowledges the following partners:

                                 

             

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please Note: Further information, including when and how to register, will also be found here as it becomes available.