Angry in the Great White North

The brilliance of the federal system is that for countries with a varied patchwork of region, like Canada, the United States, and Australia, certain responsibilities that are most closely tied to regional variations -- education, natural resource management, and such -- are left to the regions to manage. At the national, or federal, level are those responsibilities that define a nation at its most basic level -- defence, foreign affairs, the mail.

When the federal government spends money in areas of provincial concern, electoral responsibility is blurred. Provincial governments are either held responsible for problems not of their creation, or conversely, they evade responsibility by blaming a federal spending program for problems in their areas of resposibility. Federal ministers could play the same game in reverse.

That strikes are the heart of responsible democratic government.

Stephen Harper is planning to change all that:

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is poised to play a second national unity card by limiting federal spending powers in exclusive areas of provincial jurisdiction, CTV News has learned.

One option to achieve this goal is a constitutional amendment that would require the support of seven provinces comprising 50 per cent of the population, insiders say.

Talks are underway with key provincial governments, including Quebec Premier Jean Charest.

The plan is to prevent the federal government from launching new national programs without the consent of the provinces and any province could opt out with full compensation.

This is quite the challenge to the provinces. It has been a constant in Canadian politics for provincial politicians to blame the feds for their problems. To alter that fundamental truism is going to take guts, especially from the provincial politicians. Some of them are ready to take control of those responsibilities for which they must answer to their electorate:

Insiders say the move to limit federal spending power would win favour in most of the provinces.

It would also give a significant boost to Premier Charest as he prepares for a spring election and boost sagging Conservative fortunes in Quebec.

Quebec has long argued that Ottawa cannot invade provincial jurisdiction without provincial approval and full compensation.

Remember, we're not just talking about money. We're talking about empowering the voter by making it clear what he or she is voting for when he or she votes in a provincial or federal election.

That's democratic renewal that matters. Under the Liberals, "democratic renewal" meant tinkering with parliamentary committee rules.

Stephen Harper shows us how to do democratic renewal the Conservative Party way -- bold, gutsy, and meaninful.