Document Information

Date: 1980-09-08
By: Secretariat of the Conference
Citation: Federal-Provincial Conference of First Ministers, Report of the Continuing Committee of Ministers on the Constitution of First Ministers, Equalization, Doc 800-14 (Ottawa: 8-12 September 1980).
Other formats: Click here to view the original document (PDF).

DOCUMENT: 800-14/
CONFIDENTIAL

FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE
OF
FIRST MINISTERS
Report of the Continuing Committee of Ministes on the Constitution to First Ministers
EQUALIZATION
Ottawa
September 8-12, 1980

EQUALIZATION
Attached is a tabular presentation of the three drafts
on equalization considered by Ministers.
Issues for Consideration by First Ministers
First Ministers are to decide:
1) Which of the following drafts:
a) the Government of Quebec proposal, which
provides that payments are to be made to
provincial governments; or
b) the Governments of Manitoba and Saskatchewan
proposal, which, while incorporating the
Quebec proposal, provides more specifically
that such payments will ensure that provincial
governments have sufficient revenue to provide
reasonably comparable levels of public services
at a reasonably comparable levels of taxation;
or
c) the Government of British Columbia proposal
supports the principle of providing essential
public services of reasonable quality to all
Canadians, but without specifying a particular
method of achieving this objective;
is acceptable to the Conference.
2) Whether the draft should contain (section 3) a
requirement for the First Ministers to meet every
five years.

Government of
Quebec Proposal
96(1) Without altering the legislative authority
of Parliament or of the legislatures or of the
rights of any of them with respect to the
exercise of their legislative authority,
Parliament and the legislatures, together with
the Government of Canada and the Governments
of the Provinces, are ccnmitted to
(a) prcmting equal opportunities for the well-
Ming of Canadians;
(b) furthering economic development to reduce
disparity in opportmmities; and,
(c) providing essential public services of
reasonable quality to all Canadians.
(2) Parliament and the Covernment of Canada
are further oozrmitted to the principle of
making equalization payments to provincial
governments that are unable to provide
essential public services of reasonable
quality without iwosing an undue burden
of taxation.
(3) The Prime Minister of Canada and the
First Ministers of the Provinces shall review
together the questions of equalization and
regional development at least once every
five years.
BEST EFFORTS DRAFT
EQUALIZATION AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Governments of Manitoba and
Saskatchewan Proposal _
(including O_uebec‘s Proposa.‘.)
96(1) Without altering &e legislative authority
of Parliament or of the legislatures or of the
rights of any of them with respect to the exercise
of their legislative authority, Parliament and the
legislatures, together with the Government of
Canada and the Governments of the Provinces, are
ccnmitted to
(a) prcmoting equal opportunities for the well-
‘ being of Canadians;
(b) fur?nerjng econcznic development to reduce
disparity in opportunities; and,
(c) providing essential public services of
reasonable quality to all Canadians.
(2) Parliament and the Government of Canada
are further ccmmitted to the principle of
making equalization payments to ensure that
provincial governments have sufficient revenues
to provide reasonably comparable levels of
public services at reasonably comparable levels
of taxation.
(3) ‘Ihe Prime Minister of Canada and U16
First Ninisters of the Provinces shall review
together the questions of equalization and
regional development at least once every
five years.
Government of British
Columbia proposal
96(1) Without altering the legislative author-
ity or Parliament or of the legislatures or oi
the rights of any of then with respect to the
exercise of their legislative authority, Par—
lianent and the legislatures, together with the
Government of Canada and the Goverrments of the
Provinces, are committed to
(‘a) promoting equal ooportunities for the well
being of Canadians;
(b) furthering economic development to reduce
disparity in opportunities; and,
(c) providing essential public services of
reasonable quality to all Canadians.
(2) Parliament the fcverrment cf Canada
are committed to taking such reassures as are
appropriate to ensure that provinces are able
to provide the essential public services
referred to in S.96(l) (c) without imposing an
undue burden of provincial taxation.
(3) The Prime Minister of Canada and the
First Ministers of the provinces shall review
together the question and principles of such
measures at least once every five years.