Lest We Forget: Why Canada Needs Strong Social Programs

This commentary argues that strong social programs are needed in this period of political instability.  The pressure to decentralize the federal government may actually destroy the country, rather than help rebuild it.  The paper describes why the generation for which Remembrance Day is a living memory said never again to the economic devastation and social despair of the Great Depression.  It points out that only the federal government can ensure consistent income security benefits for all Canadians wherever they live and move throughout the country.  Only the federal government has the fiscal capacity to generate revenue and offset fiscal imbalance in all regions.  Only Ottawa is in a position to ensure relative equity in the availability and quality of health care and social services.  It is crucial to remember the major contribution that social programs have made to Canadian unity.

ISBN – 1-895796-48-2