Redistributing Money and Power: A Guide to the Canada Health and Social Transfer

Jeff Moon is Head of the Maps, Data, & Government Information Centre (MADGIC), at Queen's University

This timely and important contribution to the ongoing
federal–provincial debate on “social Canada” provides a clear
analysis of the decentralizing and “deficit shifting” impacts of the
1995 federal budget’s “Canada Health and Social Transfer” (CHST).
The CHST legislation undertakes to roll existing federal transfer
payments—EPF (Established Programs Financing) and CAP (Canada
Assistance Plan)—into a single block transfer while simultaneously
reducing the overall size of the transfer. While this legislation may
not be Courchene’s “ideal” solution, he argues nonetheless that it
represents an “integral component of a ‘creative evolution’ in our
society.” Redistributing Money and Power should be required reading
for all politicians and social planners.