An Update on Fiscal Transfer Arrangements an Update on Fiscal Transfer Arrangements
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Canada Health Act Canada Health Act
CANADA HEALTH ACT CANADA HEALTH CANADA HEALTH ACT Public Administration Public Administration Accessibility Accessibility Universality Universality ANNUAL REPORT Comprehensiveness Comprehensiveness 2014–2015 Portability Portability ANNUAL 2014 REPORT 2015 Health Canada is the federal department responsible for helping the people of Canada maintain and improve their health. Health Canada is committed to improving the lives of all of Canada’s people and to making this country’s population among the healthiest in the world as measured by longevity, lifestyle and effective use of the public health care system. Published by authority of the Minister of Health. Canada Health Act – Annual Report 2014–2015 is available on Internet at the following address: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hcs-sss/pubs/cha-lcs/index-eng.php Également disponible en français sous le titre: Loi canadienne sur la santé – Rapport Annuel 2014-2015 This publication can be made available on request on diskette, large print, audio-cassette and braille. For further information or to obtain additional copies, please contact: Health Canada Address Locator 0900C2 Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9 Telephone: (613) 957-2991 Toll free: 1-866-225-0709 Fax: (613) 941-5366 © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Health of Canada, 2015 All rights reserved. No part of this information (publication or product) may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or stored in a retrieval system, without prior written permission of the Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0S5 or [email protected] HC Pub: 150140 Cat.: H1-4E-PDF ISBN:1497-9144 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Health Canada would like to acknowledge the work and effort that went into producing this Annual Report. -
Paying for Canada
Paying for Canada by Sherri Torjman January 2014 Paying for Canada by Sherri Torjman January 2014 Copyright © 2014 by The Caledon Institute of Social Policy ISBN 1-55382-614-0 Published by: Caledon Institute of Social Policy 1354 Wellington Street West, 3rd Floor Ottawa, ON K1Y 3C3 CANADA Tel./Fax: (613) 729-3340 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.caledoninst.org Twitter: @CaledonINST Table of Contents The expenditure side of the equation 1 Transfers to Canadians and to governments 1 Table 1 2 Three major fiscal transfers 4 a. Canada Health Transfer 5 b. Canada Social Transfer 7 c. Equalization 8 Conclusion 10 References 11 The expenditure side of the equation Discussions about financing in Canada often focus on the revenue side of the equation. Federal revenues derive primarily from various sources of taxation including income tax, sales tax, payroll taxes (also known as payroll contributions) and corporate tax. The levels and mix of these taxes always seem to spark spirited conversations within and outside government. Both the volume and rhetoric heat up as elections draw near. This report does not deal with the revenue side of the ledger. It is not about how money comes into the government and how Ottawa uses the personal income tax system to deliver income benefits – the latter a crucial subject about which Caledon has written in previous reports. We have argued for a progressive income tax system, the removal or refundability of ‘boutique’ tax credits that favour the well-off and restoration of the two-percentage point cut in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) [Battle and Torjman 2011; Battle, Torjman and Mendelson 2011]. -
Federalism and Health Care in Canada: a Troubled Romance?
Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University Schulich Law Scholars Research Papers, Working Papers, Conference Papers Faculty Scholarship 6-1-2017 Federalism and Health Care in Canada: A Troubled Romance? University of Ottawa Law RPS Submitter University of Ottawa - Common Law Section, [email protected] Colleen M. M. Flood University of Ottawa - Common Law Section, [email protected] Bryan P. Thomas University of Toronto - Faculty of Law, [email protected] William Lahey Dalhousie University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.schulichlaw.dal.ca/working_papers Recommended Citation RPS Submitter, University of Ottawa Law; Flood, Colleen M. M.; Thomas, Bryan P.; and Lahey, William, "Federalism and Health Care in Canada: A Troubled Romance?" (2017). Research Papers, Working Papers, Conference Papers. 17. https://digitalcommons.schulichlaw.dal.ca/working_papers/17 This Working Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the Faculty Scholarship at Schulich Law Scholars. It has been accepted for inclusion in Research Papers, Working Papers, Conference Papers by an authorized administrator of Schulich Law Scholars. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Federalism and Health Care in Canada: A Troubled Romance? Colleen Flood, William Lahey & Bryan Thomas∗ Forthcoming in The Oxford Handbook of the Canadian Constitution, 2017 DRAFT VERSION – NOT FOR CITATION 1. Introduction Canada’s efforts to offer a modern health care system to its people are shaped, complicated, and in many ways hindered, by interpretations of federal/provincial divisions of power laid out in the Constitution Act, 1867 (the 1867 Act). Given its vintage, the 1867 Act has relatively little to say directly with respect to the health sector, which has since Confederation evolved into an enormously important area of the economy and of government activity. -
Women and the Canada Social Transfer
Women and the Canada Social Transfer: Securing the Social Union Shelagh Day and Gwen Brodsky The research and publication of this study were funded by Status of Women Canada’s Policy Research Fund. This document expresses the views of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official policy of Status of Women Canada or the Government of Canada. March 2007 Status of Women Canada is committed to ensuring that all research produced through the Policy Research Fund adheres to high methodological, ethical and professional standards. Specialists in the field anonymously review each paper and provide comments on: • The accuracy, completeness and timeliness of the information presented; • The extent to which the methodology used and the data collected support the analysis and recommendations; • The original contribution the report would make to existing work on this subject, and its usefulness to equality-seeking organizations, advocacy communities, government policy makers, researchers and other target audiences. Status of Women Canada thanks those who contribute to this peer-review process. Project Manager: Pam Roper and Jo Anne de Lepper, Status of Women Canada Publishing and Translation Co-ordinator: Cathy Hallessey, Status of Women Canada Editing and Layout: PMF Editorial Services Inc. / PMF Services de rédaction inc. For more information, contact: Research Directorate Status of Women Canada 123 Slater Street, 10th floor Ottawa, Ontario K1P 1H9 Telephone: (613) 995-7835 Facsimile: (613) 957-3359 TDD: (613) 996-1322 TABLE OF CONTENTS -
Questioning the Legality of Equalization (Fraser Institute Digital
THE FRASER Fraser Institute Digital Publication INSTITUTE December 2006 Questioning the Legality of Equalization Burton H. Kellock, Q.C. and Sylvia LeRoy Executive summary / 1 Introduction / 3 1 Equalization in the Constitution / 4 2 Constitutional division of powers / 9 Conclusion / 19 References / 20 About the authors / 24 Acknowledgments & About this publication / 25 Publishing information / 26 About The Fraser Institute / 27 Questioning the Legality of Equalization Executive summary Questioning the legality of equalization The inclusion of a commitment to equalization in the Constitution Act, 1982 has led politicians, lawyers, economists, and citizens alike to argue that a federal program transferring money from all Canadian citizens to the governments of some “have not” provinces is a constitutional imperative. This argument is based on faulty assumptions about (1) the legal significance of the Constitution’s equalization provisions, and (2) the federal government’s power to fund spending in areas of exclusive jurisdiction. 1 Equalization in the Constitution Scholars considering the legality of equalization have concluded that the commit- ment to “the principle of making equalization payments” included in section 36(2) of the Constitution Act, 1982 lacks the clear legal language needed for judicial review or enforcement. Any court asked to consider the matter would have to be mindful of its duty to interpret the law and leave political matters to Parliament and the legislatures who have the technical expertise, institutional capacity, and democratic mandate to debate them properly. Framers’ intent The non-justiciability of the Constitution’s equalization provisions is supported by the documented intentions of the federal and provincial governments that debated and ultimately agreed to include equalization in the Constitution Act, 1982. -
Report of Auditor General of Canada—December 2008
2008 Report of the Auditor General of Canada to the House of Commons DECEMBER Chapter 1 A Study of Federal Transfers to Provinces and Territories Office of the Auditor General of Canada The December 2008 Report of the Auditor General of Canada comprises Matters of Special Importance—2008, Main Points—Chapters 1 to 8, Appendices, and eight chapters. The main table of contents for the Report is found at the end of this publication. The Report is available on our website at www.oag-bvg.gc.ca. For copies of the Report or other Office of the Auditor General publications, contact Office of the Auditor General of Canada 240 Sparks Street, Stop 10-1 Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G6 Telephone: 613-952-0213, ext. 5000, or 1-888-761-5953 Fax: 613-943-5485 Hearing impaired only TTY: 613-954-8042 Email: [email protected] Ce document est également publié en français. © Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada 2008 Cat. No. FA1-2008/2-1E ISBN 978-1-100-10968-8 Chapter A Study of Federal Transfers to Provinces and Territories Table of Contents Main Points 1 Introduction 3 Focus of the study 3 Observations 5 Four major federal transfers to provinces and territories 5 Evolution of federal support for health and social programs 6 Program-specific transfers to provinces and territories 8 Types of conditions 8 Revisions to the transfer payment policy 11 Federal use of trusts 11 Significance of conditions 16 Imposing conditions is a policy decision 16 Conclusion 17 About the Study 19 Report of the Auditor General of Canada—December 2008 Chapter 1 iii A Study of Federal Transfers to Provinces and Territories Main Points What we examined The federal government uses a number of mechanisms to transfer funds to the provinces and territories for general areas of spending such as health or for specific purposes such as improving infrastructure. -
Insight in Comparative Perspective September 2016 | No
IRPP Canada’s Equalization Policy Insight in Comparative Perspective September 2016 | No. 9 Daniel Béland and André Lecours Summary ■■ Equalization, a core program of Canadian federalism, uses federal government revenues to mitigate the consequences of fiscal disparities among provinces. ■■ Funding pressures change in response to circumstances, often creating significant political tensions between government over equalization entitlements. ■■ Drawing on experience with Australia’s Commonwealth Grants Commission, the creation of an arm’s-length agency to recommend the level of equalization payments would potentially depoliticize the process. Sommaire ■■ La péréquation, un programme essentiel du fédéralisme canadien, utilise des revenus du gouvernement fédéral afin d’atténuer les conséquences des inégalités fiscales entre les provinces. ■■ Les pressions fiscales changent en fonction des circonstances, une situation qui crée souvent des tensions politiques importantes entre les gouvernements pour ce qui est des droits de péréquation. ■■ En s’inspirant de la Commonwealth Grants Commission australienne, la création d’une agence autonome recommandant le niveau des paiements de péréquation pourrait favoriser une dépolitisation de ce processus. IN MID-MARCH 2016, just before the unveiling of the federal budget, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall requested that the Trudeau government send back the money his province had contributed to equalization in order to help Saskatchewan through an enduring downturn in the oil industry. As he stated, “I understand the equalization formula is not likely to change anytime soon…But the federal gov- ernment could recognize that the formula is flawed by providing Saskatchewan with new economic stimulus funding at least equal to the amount they are taking in equalization.”1 Made during the 2016 Saskatchewan electoral campaign, Pre- mier Wall’s remarks point to long-standing frustrations about the functioning of the federal equalization program in wealthier provinces such as Alberta that do not receive equalization payments. -
Intergovernmental Fiscal Arrangements in Canada
Institut C.D. HOWE Institute commentary NO. 431 Adaptability, Accountability and Sustainability: Intergovernmental Fiscal Arrangements in Canada Ever-rising federal transfers to provinces weaken accountability and fiscal discipline. Greater provincial reliance on their own revenue sources would strengthen the federation over the long term. William B.P. Robson and Alexandre Laurin The Institute’s Commitment to Quality About The C.D. Howe Institute publications undergo rigorous external review Authors by academics and independent experts drawn from the public and private sectors. William B.P. Robson is President and CEO The Institute’s peer review process ensures the quality, integrity and of the C.D. Howe Institute. objectivity of its policy research. The Institute will not publish any study that, in its view, fails to meet the standards of the review process. Alexandre Laurin The Institute requires that its authors publicly disclose any actual or is Director of Research at potential conflicts of interest of which they are aware. the C.D. Howe Institute. In its mission to educate and foster debate on essential public policy issues, the C.D. Howe Institute provides nonpartisan policy advice to interested parties on a non-exclusive basis. The Institute will not endorse any political party, elected official, candidate for elected office, or interest group. As a registered Canadian charity, the C.D. Howe Institute as a matter of course accepts donations from individuals, private and public organizations, charitable foundations and others, by way of general and project support. The Institute will not accept any donation that stipulates a predetermined result or policy stance or otherwise inhibits its independence, or that of its staff and authors, in pursuing scholarly activities or disseminating research results. -
Payment Where Payment Is Due: Canada's Federal Transfer System
HEALTH TOMORROW, VOL. 3 (2015) 52 Payment Where Payment is Due: Canada’s Federal Transfer System and a Needs-Based Solution to Health Transfer Spending MEGAN AIKEN, University of New Brunswick Abstract Since the 1950s, federal transfers have been moulded and remoulded under practically every Prime Minister. The current iteration of transfers, specifically the 2014 implementation of equal- per-capita funding through the Canada Health Transfer, poses major problems to regional disparities, and arguably favours provinces that have high growth; this leaves poorer provinces, like the Maritimes, to make major cuts to provincial budgets in order to maintain the standards set out in the Canada Health Act. This paper explores the history of transfers, why transfers are necessary for Canadians, as well as the criticisms of the current system. Following this, it is recommended that a needs-based model for determining health transfers be adopted; specifically, the model developed by Marchildon and Mou that accounts for an aging population as well as one that is geographically dispersed. This paper provides a more contemporary analysis on federal transfers as they relate to the health care system. Additionally, it focuses somewhat on the issues New Brunswick is facing currently as, among other things, a result of inadequate funding from the federal government. Keywords: health policy, public policy, federal transfers, Canada Health Transfer, provincial politics, Canadian politics 53 Introduction In the world’s second largest country in terms of total area, divided into ten provinces and three territories, how is it possible to maintain a sense of unity or cohesion in Canada from coast to coast? This is where the foundation of federalism lies: provinces are under the umbrella of the federal government, where social and fiscal policies are put in place to ensure equal status and opportunity for citizens while still allowing for provincial governments to decide on the specifics of fiscal and social programs. -
Canada's Health Care System (Medicare)
Canada's Health Care System (Medicare) Canada's national health insurance program, often referred to as "Medicare", is designed to ensure that all residents have reasonable access to medically necessary hospital and physician services, on a prepaid basis. Instead of having a single national plan, we have a national program that is composed of 13 interlocking provincial and territorial health insurance plans, all of which share certain common features and basic standards of coverage. Framed by the Canada Health Act, the principles governing our health care system are symbols of the underlying Canadian values of equity and solidarity. Roles and responsibilities for Canada's health care system are shared between the federal and provincial-territorial governments. Under the Canada Health Act (CHA), our federal health insurance legislation, criteria and conditions are specified that must be satisfied by the provincial and territorial health care insurance plans in order for them to qualify for their full share of the federal cash contribution, available under the Canada Health Transfer (CHT). Provincial and territorial governments are responsible for the management, organization and delivery of health services for their residents. What Information is Available In this section, you will find detailed information on the criteria and conditions of the federal act (CHA), current CHA compliance issues, and descriptions of provincial and territorial health insurance plans. On Longwoods.com | as a service to our readers | Page: 1 Taken from the Health Canada website on December 13, 2005 - Undedited: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hcs-sss/medi-assur/overview-apercu/index_e.html Canada Health Act: Overview "The principles of the Canada Health Act began as simple conditions attached to federal funding for medicare. -
Are the Provinces Really Shortchanged by Federal Transfers?
ARE THE PROVINCES REALLY SHORTCHANGED BY FEDERAL TRANSFERS? Ben Eisen Charles Lammam Feixue Ren January 2016 January 2016 Are the Provinces Really Shortchanged by Federal Transfers? Ben Eisen, Charles Lammam, and Feixue Ren www. fraserinstitute.org ARE THE PROVINCES REALLY SHORTCHANGED BY FEDERAL TRANSFERS? v Contents Executive Summary / 1 Introduction / 3 Canada’s System of Fiscal Transfers: A Brief Overview / 5 Comparing the Fiscal Condition of the Federal Government and the Provinces / 10 Are Federal Transfers to the Provinces Increasing or Decreasing, and at What Rate? / 14 If Transfers Aren’t to Blame, Why Are the Provinces Running Deficits? / 19 Where Are the Bigger Transfers Going? / 21 Recent Trends Surrounding Federal Transfers to Ontario / 25 Conclusion / 29 References / 30 About the Authors / 35 Acknowledgements / 36 About the Fraser Institute / 36 Publication Information / 37 Supporting the Fraser Institute / 38 Purpose, Funding, and Independence / 38 Editorial Advisory Board / 39 www.fraserinstitute.org ARE THE PROVINCES REALLY SHORTCHANGED BY FEDERAL TRANSFERS? 1 Executive Summary In recent years, government officials from several provinces and a number of commentators have suggested that inadequate transfers from the federal government are a contributing factor to the persistent deficits that exist in several provinces. This study steps away from the political rhetoric and examines data on federal transfers to the provinces to assess whether these transfers have been growing or shrinking in recent years, and at what rate. It also compares the rate of growth for federal transfers to other metrics— including spending growth, own-source revenue growth, and the combi- nation of inflation and population growth—to begin to assess the validity of claims that inadequate federal transfers are partially responsible for the fiscal challenges facing many provinces.