Canada’s municipalities are asking Ottawa for more money, priority and leadership in the fight against a “rural crisis” gripping the countryside.
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities issued a report titled Wake-up Call that called for more resources and political clout for the federal Rural Secretariat now housed in Agriculture Canada.
It suggested that the government start by appointing a cabinet-level champion for rural issues. At present, the job falls to the agriculture minister, but the federation says rural issues cross many jurisdictions beyond agriculture.
“The government’s Rural Secretariat was designed to cut across departments and support horizontal policies that help build strong dynamic rural communities,” federation vice-president Basil Stewart told an Ottawa news conference May 26.
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“But to be effective, the secretariat needs more resources and a stronger link to the federal cabinet.”
Stewart, who is the mayor of Summerside, P.E.I., said the rural population has fallen below 20 percent for the first time in Canadian history and few immigrants settle outside cities. Rural poverty and health problems are common.
“As their tax base shrinks, rural communities are struggling to provide basic infrastructure and services,” he said.
“This crisis has been quietly growing for decades, but the global recession is now threatening to push many rural communities past the tipping point.”
Still, federation officials, who spent several days last week lobbying all political parties on Parliament Hill, insisted they are not calling for major new government spending in rural Canada. Billions of dollars have been allocated through the government economic stimulus package.
“The answer here is not throwing lots of new dollars,” Stewart said.
“We are looking for institutional support, political profile and a higher level of concentration and recognition of rural issues within government. We are looking for policy cohesion.”
Later, Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties president Don Johnson said it has been suggested that the Rural Secretariat move into the Privy Council Office that oversees government and reports to the prime minister.
All political parties said they support the thrust of the report.
In the House of Commons, Manitoba New Democrat Niki Ashton said 50 percent of Canada’s exports come from rural Canada, but little of the money the government earns in taxes on those exports returns to rural areas.
“Rural Canadians have to fight for what many others already have, from clean water to basic health care,” she said.
“Why is the government not making a long-term commitment to rural Canada? Why is it taking rural Canadians for granted?”
Ritz was ready.
The Conservatives want to end the long gun registry and extend property rights to women on First Nations reserves, but the NDP oppose those measures, he said. And the NDP voted against a budget that offers infrastructure funding and rural water agreements.
“I am proud to stand here and represent rural Canada,” he said.
“I wish they would help us.”
Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff used the opportunity to renew his commitment to rural Canada.
“As a truly national party, it’s critical that we understand and represent the values and concerns of rural Canadians,” he said in a statement issued May 26 after meeting a federation delegation.
“It’s why I asked my caucus to come out in large numbers to hear from Canada’s rural mayors, because we recognize the importance of the rural economy to the future prosperity of our country.”
The report made clear that the rural decline has been going on for decades. It is being made worse by the economic recession, but the fundamental issue has been around long enough that some urban Canadians have come to see rural Canada as the poor relative always sponging.
