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Reassert the Powers of the Federal Government

2001:03 REASSERT THE POWERS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

Whereas

the Federal Government of Canada is responsible for the "peace, order and good government" of Canada which implies responsibility for the well-being of all the people of Canada; and

Whereas

during the past decade overall well-being and equity among Canadians has been diminished with the increasing devolution of the balance of responsibility to the provinces and territories for the administration of health, education, social policy, immigration, housing, environment and agriculture; and

Whereas

some of these areas are under shared jurisdiction according to the Canadian Constitution, they are heavily dependent on the transfer of sufficient funds and on the shared expertise required to make access to these programs and services adequate and equitable; and

Whereas

by having signed the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements the Government of Canada has been forced to capitulate to Transnational Corporations (TNCs) over issues relating to the protection of human health and the environment, evidenced by Canada losing disputes to:

  1. the Ethyl Corporation over not permitting the import of MMT, a nerve toxin, which is added to gasoline; and
  2. the corporations, such as Monsanto which supplies recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH); and
  3. corporations moving to patent plant forms; and
  4. pharmaceutical companies for resisting the extension of patent terms for widely used prescription drugs; and

Whereas

a dispute with Sun Belt of California that Challenges Canada’s right to restrict exports of fresh water in ways that would protect Canada’s supply of fresh water is pending; and

Whereas

policies and actions of Trans-National Corporations (TNC) are often aimed at weakening the powers of all levels of government; therefore be it

RESOLVED:

that the National Council of Women of Canada adopt as its policy the reassertion of the statutory powers of the Federal Government vis a vis the provinces and as provided in the Constitution; and be it further

RESOLVED:

that the National Council of Women of Canada urge the Government of Canada to reassert its power vis a vis the provinces and territories to carry out its mandate and responsibility to protect and promote the well-being of all the people of Canada and their equitable access to services, and to assert, to the greatest extent possible, its ability to keep the Trans-national Corporations (TNCs) from controlling or interfering with the Federal Government’s decision-making and obligation to:

  1. promote and maintain high standards of public healthcare, education, social services and housing; and
  2. maintain a fair and just immigration policy; and
  3. enact legislation to protect the environment; and
  4. maintain control of Canada’s Natural Resources; and
  5. protect and maintain control of Canada’s fresh water; and
  6. maintain a balanced agricultural trade policy that recognizes the needs of rural communities across Canada; and
  7. ensure all such laws are monitored and enforced through Parliament.