Canadian Council of Chief Executives

Corporate and Public Governance

Click for further information:

Home >> Corporate and Public Governance >> Parliamentary Reform

Parliamentary Reform

The rule of law, free speech, fair elections, an independent judiciary and an honest and competent public service: these are the building blocks of democracy. They also form the foundation of a healthy economy, because they are the hallmarks of a country that can succeed in attracting people, investment and ideas from around the world.

Good governance is as important to the success of countries as it is to that of companies; it is the foundation for healthy and sustained economic growth and for social progress. The federal sponsorship scandal has highlighted the need for a sweeping transformation of public governance, mirroring those that have taken place within the private sector in strengthening transparency and accountability.
The flexibility of a federal governance structure can be a competitive advantage, but inter-governmental relations in Canada have become dominated by arguments over the so-called fiscal imbalance: recurring surpluses at the federal level at a time when many provinces are struggling to stay afloat in the face of dramatically rising health care costs. To position Canada to compete more effectively in the global economy, it is vital to deal with the structure of our federation, not through constitutional change but through a systemic and pragmatic review of what Canadians expect from our governments, which governments can deliver the best value in each case and how to ensure that each government can raise the revenue it needs to meet its responsibilities.
Driven by its understanding that public trust and engagement in Canada's democratic institutions requires a continuing process of renewal, the CCCE has engaged repeatedly in Parliamentary reform initiatives over the years.
At a time when public trust and engagement seems to be waning, further measures to reform Parliament are clearly desirable. Measures announced by Prime Minister Paul Martin in December 2003, including more free votes, more influence for Parliamentary Secretaries, greater authority for Parliamentary committees, more opportunities for committees to consider bills at an early stage in order to encourage constructive collaboration across party lines, and greater public scrutiny of key government appointments, represent important steps forward.
The CCCE has participated in many initiatives to improve the compensation, morale and effectiveness of the public service. We have also participated in examining the potential use of new technologies to enhance both the delivery of public services and citizen engagement in the democratic process.


Click for further information:	Home >> Corporate and Public Governance >> Parliamentary Reform Parliamentary Reform The rule of law, free speech, fair elections, an independent judiciary and an honest and competent public service: these are the building blocks of democracy. They also form the foundation of a healthy economy, because they are the hallmarks of a country that can succeed in attracting people, investment and ideas from around the world. Good governance is as important to the success of countries as it is to that of companies; it is the foundation for healthy and sustained economic growth and for social progress. The federal sponsorship scandal has highlighted the need for a sweeping transformation of public governance, mirroring those that have taken place within the private sector in strengthening transparency and accountability. The flexibility of a federal governance structure can be a competitive advantage, but inter-governmental relations in Canada have become dominated by arguments over the so-called fiscal imbalance: recurring surpluses at the federal level at a time when many provinces are struggling to stay afloat in the face of dramatically rising health care costs. To position Canada to compete more effectively in the global economy, it is vital to deal with the structure of our federation, not through constitutional change but through a systemic and pragmatic review of what Canadians expect from our governments, which governments can deliver the best value in each case and how to ensure that each government can raise the revenue it needs to meet its responsibilities. Driven by its understanding that public trust and engagement in Canada's democratic institutions requires a continuing process of renewal, the CCCE has engaged repeatedly in Parliamentary reform initiatives over the years. At a time when public trust and engagement seems to be waning, further measures to reform Parliament are clearly desirable. Measures announced by Prime Minister Paul Martin in December 2003, including more free votes, more influence for Parliamentary Secretaries, greater authority for Parliamentary committees, more opportunities for committees to consider bills at an early stage in order to encourage constructive collaboration across party lines, and greater public scrutiny of key government appointments, represent important steps forward. The CCCE has participated in many initiatives to improve the compensation, morale and effectiveness of the public service. We have also participated in examining the potential use of new technologies to enhance both the delivery of public services and citizen engagement in the democratic process.
Click for further information: