Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act

Marginal note:Referral to Governor in Council

• 20 (1) Subject to subsection (3), where the Minister, after consultation in accordance with subsection (2) with the minister responsible for social assistance in a province, is of the opinion that the province does not or has ceased to comply with section 19 and the province has not given an undertaking satisfactory to the Minister to remedy the non-compliance within a period that the Minister considers reasonable, the Minister shall refer the matter to the Governor in Council.

• Marginal note:Consultation process

  (2) Before referring a matter to the Governor in Council under subsection (1) in respect of a province, the Minister shall

  • (a) send by registered mail to the minister responsible for social assistance in the province a notice of concern with respect to any problem foreseen;

  • (b) seek any additional information available from the province with respect to the problem through bilateral discussions, and make a report to the province within ninety days after sending the notice of concern; and

  • (c) if requested by the province, meet within a reasonable time to discuss the report.

• Marginal note:Where no consultation can be achieved

  (3) The Minister may act under subsection (1) without consultation if the Minister is of the opinion that a sufficient time has expired after reasonable efforts to achieve consultation were made and that consultation will not be achieved.