Canadas Institutional Landscape And The Governments Ignorance Of Far :: essays research papers fc

Canada's Institutional Landscape and The Government's Ignorance of Farmer's Needs Saskatchewan farmers have been continually ignored in Canada's institutional landscape. Never has the situation been more evident as it is with the possibility of Quebec separation. The Canadian governments ignorance of farmers' needs has caused a cynical view of the political process in the eyes of farmers. One of the major sources of the cynicism is that Canadian federal institutions are developed so that most political of the clout is developed from the east. The eastern domination of the House of Commons, and indirectly the Senate, means that Saskatchewan wheat farmers do not have a strong voice in Canadian political decisions. But what does the Saskatchewan lack of representation in Canada's political institutions in Ottawa mean? What can Saskatchewan wheat farmers do to rectify the situation? And, following a Quebec separation what can wheat farmers do to uphold their livelihood? The intent of this report is to focus on the actions Saskatchewan wheat farmers can take to ensure their success in the future. A focus on the recent political policy decisions by the federal government, the need for intrastate institutional reform, and effects of a possible Quebec separation will all be analyzed. The current institutional landscape of Canada has not acted favorably for Saskatchewan wheat farmers. The development of the institutions, ie. the House of Commons and the Senate, and the policies that have developed from these institutions have continually ignored the needs of prairie farmers, emphasizing the cynicism Saskatchewan wheat farmers have towards the political process. The antipathy towards the political institutions has developed because of recent cost-cutting initiatives and deregulatory procedures by the government and by mis-representation of farmers' needs in government today. The failure of Saskatchewan wheat farmers to express their needs in the Canadian political arena successfully, when compared to other constituencies, is based on the fact that Saskatchewan's representation in Canada's political institutions is weak. The result is the development of policies contrary to what would be accepted by farmers. Saskatchewan wheat farmers, in accordance with most constituencies in the west, have desired a institutional change to the Upper House in Canada. In 1867, when the institutions were developed, the goal was to develop two different political "bodies". One, the House of Commons, would represent the Canadian people by means of elected representatives in a representation by population scenario. The second, the Senate, would be a source of "sober second thought." In its creation the senate was intended to protect the ideals of individual regions. However, to the chagrin of Saskatchewan wheat farmers, the intended regional focus of the senate never developed and, hence, the senate has