Will Kyoto work in a Federal system?

Essay by kuat00University, Bachelor'sA-, March 2004

download word file, 10 pages 5.0

Many of the most critical issues facing Canadian's have connections to Canada's federal structure of government and the negotiations involved in the structure. The fundamental principle in the federal system is realization that different types of political issues are best suited for different political institutions. A continuing bargaining process between the federal and provincial levels of government goes on to create good policy. In 1867 the fathers of confederation drafted the BNA Act making Canada a country with a federal system of government. A system in which there is three levels of government, Federal (national), provincial, and municipal. Each province gained a legislative assembly to create and pass laws within its jurisdiction. All though there is a clear separation of powers in the BNA act there was areas that couldn't be predicted such as cable TV, high speed internet, and Environmental factors (Robertson, Kris. Federalism in Canada. Toronto: Harcourt Publishing 2001.pp

124). Some political issues are small in scope and only affect a small area; others are large and require the attention of a higher level of government. All thought the constitution does outline the separation of powers there is grey areas where the provincial and federal government have to negotiate to come to a compromise. Sir John A. Macdonald wrote, "A federal state is one that keeps political power at the lowest level and reserves it upward only when decisions require it." The idea of a centralized all powerful government would not work in a country the size of Canada. In the federal system the power to deal with a problem is held by political bodies at the lowest level possible and only as high as necessary for the issue. In federalism the power is dispersed but coordinated. It is viewed as a protection for the individual against...