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Canada Votes 2004 – Canada Social Transfer
Community Development Halton wishes to acknowledge the
Social Planning and
Research Council of British Columbia, SPARC BC, for the development of the
materials in Canada Votes 2004. Community Development Halton has made changes to
this material in order to reflect the Ontario reality.
ISSUE 3: CANADA SOCIAL TRANSFER
How we support social programs is a question of deep concern to Canadians. We
often identify our social policies as a defining feature of this country, and
recent polls record that a majority of Canadians put health care and education
at the top of the funding priority list.
On April 1, 2004 federal contributions to health, post-secondary education,
and social services were divided into two separate transfers: the Canada Health
Transfer and the Canada Social Transfer. This funding was formerly delivered
through a single tool – the Canada Health and Social Transfer (CHST).
While significant thought has gone into the new Health Transfer, relatively
little attention has been paid to the Social Transfer. As the tool for
delivering federal support to post-secondary education, income assistance
(welfare), child care, and other social initiatives, it is crucial for Canadians
to know more about this investment. Here are some key issues:
- Accountability and transparency: Block grants like the CHST make it hard
to track where money is going. Part of the rationale for a separate Health
Transfer is to increase accountability and transparency in health spending.
The same argument applies to the Social Transfer. It makes sense to create
separate accounts within this fund for post- secondary education, income
assistance, child care, and so on.
- Income assistance: Under the CHST, funding for income assistance
declined sharply. One result is that welfare incomes have fallen for
recipients in virtually all jurisdictions, contributing to high rates of
poverty and homelessness. The Social Transfer should preserve a place for
income assistance on Canada’s social landscape by promoting adequate benefit
levels, ensuring appropriate access to benefits and guaranteeing
comparability between provinces.
- Child Care: Research repeatedly shows that early learning opportunities
yield positive outcomes for children, women, families, labour markets, and
communities. Despite this evidence, Canada has yet to take comprehensive
action to support child care. The Social Transfer should be a starting point
for building provincial support for investment in this area.
Issues:
- Federal funding for social policy is being divided into the Canada
Health Transfer and the Canada Social Transfer.
- Although social programs are a clear priority for Canadians, the Social
Transfer remains largely undefined.
- The Social Transfer is a key tool for ensuring appropriate investment in
important social issues like poverty and child care.
Questions for Candidates:
- How will your party identify priorities for the Canada Social Transfer?
- How will your party work with provincial governments to ensure that
comprehensive and comparable action is taken on important social issues like
poverty and child care?
- What level of funding will your party commit to the Canada Social
Transfer over the next decade?
To find out more:
Produced by Community Development Halton
860 Harrington Court
Burlington, Ontario L7N 3N4
(905) 632-1975, (905) 878-0955; Fax: (905) 632-0778; E-mail:
office@cdhalton.ca
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