Thank you very much. Good evening.
I'd first like to thank the Standing Committee on Finance for the privilege today of presenting the views of the membership of the Canadian Association of Social Workers, which will hopefully serve to inform the direction and decisions of Budget 2013.
The Canadian Association of Social Workers exists to promote the profession of social work in Canada and to advance issues of social justice.
As highlighted in our pre-budget submission to the Standing Committee on Finance, CASW is committed to reducing the growing income inequality gap in Canada, and social workers are seriously concerned that legislation and policies recently adopted by the Government of Canada may run contrary to this objective.
To this end, CASW strongly recommends a reversal of the gradual increase of the eligibility to old age security from 65 to 75 and an investment of an additional $400 million on top of the $300 million per year committed in Budget 2011 in support of seniors solely reliant on old age security and the guaranteed income supplement living with deserved dignity and respect.
Social workers do recognize that the Government of Canada has taken some very useful initiatives in recent budgets and economic plans to increase employment and job creation through apprenticeship tax credits, foreign credential recognition, and targeted initiatives for older workers.
In terms of challenges being faced and addressing these challenges, CASW commends the Government of Canada on the delivery of “Changing Directions, Changing Lives: The Mental Health Strategy for Canada”, and now seeks the commitment of the Government of Canada to see its recommendations realized into action in order to increase productivity in Canada.
With national leadership and provincial partnerships, it is possible to implement a coordinated national strategy for mental illness and mental health in Canada. Consequently, CASW fully supports the solutions grounded in the recommendations of the government's own national mental health strategy for Canada, including increasing the proportion of health spending that is devoted to mental health from 7% to 9% over 10 years; increasing the proportion of social spending that is devoted to mental health by two percentage points from current levels; setting up an innovation fund to assist provinces and territories in developing a sustainable mental health infrastructure across Canada; and, finally, ensuring that the five key principles of the Canada Health Act be applied fully and formally to mental health services, as they are critical to achieving equity between mental health and general health services.
Social workers firmly believe that the Government of Canada also has a critical role to play when it comes to funding health and health care, as well as developing accountability and equity in the delivery of social services beyond the announced 6% annual increase to the Canada health transfer and the 3% annual increase in the Canada social transfer through to 2016-17.
As the fifth largest provider of health care in the country, the Government of Canada has the opportunity and, some would say, the obligation to both lead by example in areas of direct federal responsibility and to coordinate shared accountability through the Canada health transfer and the Canada social transfer.
CASW recently released a comprehensive report on the Canada social transfer aimed at bringing attention to the lack of accountability inherent in its receipt and delivery. The “Canada Social Transfer Project - Accountability Matters” report outlines recommendations on renewing accountability for the billions transferred annually from the federal to provincial governments in support of social services, child care, and post-secondary education.
The Canada social transfer is inarguably a largely unconditional transfer that has no accountability measures for ensuring the level of adequacy with respect to social programs across Canada. Given that recent budgets and their consequent implementation bills have been used as a mechanism to realize changes in broad areas of legislation, policy, and regulations, CASW recommends that the accountability crisis inherent in the current model of financing social programs through the Canada social transfer be addressed in this next budget.
Thanks for your time in listening to the perspective of social workers. I look forward to responding to any questions the committee may have.