The audit results would give government guidance in targeting Canada's social programs to make them as effective as possible. Accountability for Canada's social programs should be treated just as seriously as fiscal responsibility, and with as much consideration as the impact of economic projects on the environment. A Progressive Conservative government will commit to a Canadian social audit, to be conducted by an arm's length agency similar to the Auditor General, the Privacy Commissioner and the Information Commissioner, and including representation from all Canadian governments and all sectors of Canadian society, designed to help Canadians and their governments determine how well their social programs are working as a tool in developing workable solutions to the immense program of poverty in Canada. In its correspondence with the Federal Parties, CCD called for a commitment to national standards to govern social, economic and employment programming. The PC Party in their document includes a set of guiding principles for social programs in the Canadian federation.
Social programs serve several purposes in Canadian society.
Social programs should be designed on the premise that responsibility for the well being of citizens rests first and foremost with the individual and family. Provincial residency requirements should not be allowed to become a barrier to access to basic social services. The PC Party of Canada makes a commitment to address the difficult transition from social assistance to work. The disincentives to employment that exist in the social assistance system have been a particular concern for CCD for many years. Unfortunately, the PC Party does not address the need for a jobs strategy for people with disabilities.