Canadian Federal Government

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Recommended: Essays on the Canadian Constitution of 1982

The federal government of Canada does play an important role in higher education policy, but it is a role that has evolved through the constant dancing of federal-provincial relations to the frequently discordant tune of Canada’s constitutional debate (Jones 2004). The Canadian federal system with responsibility for high education is like no other in the developed industrialised world. In effect the federal government is constitutionally deprived for social welfare, health and education. On the other hand it is the federal responsibility for concerns of national interest, equality of treatment and opportunity, economic development, and Indians and lands reserved for Indians. A very unique paradox which has led to several clashes between the feds and the provinces. However, while the provinces from time to time seek to fulfill their constitutional obligations, both levels of governments in some cases have overlapped, and tensions erupts. As is usually the case the high court on some occasions have ruled on matters that can't be resolved politically (Jones 2004). As it relates to higher education and other related matters the federal government moves through the powerful instrument mechanism, called the ‘federal spending power’ to intervene with tremendous weight of federal taxes in precisely the same areas that …show more content…

The direct impact on educaton as it relates evaluation and assessment of educational programs, performance, efficiency, effectiveness, accountability, cooperation, student satisfication, and competitiveness ae implemented at the provincial level. The execption the feds involvment are in those areas over which the provinces have absolutely no control; such as war, demography and the economy. Yet, several of the programs are operated through provincial control systems (Junor and Usher

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