O'Leary has a point although his use of transfer payments would probably be restricted to overriding commercial regulation rather than acting for the common good.

The federal government should rightly act in all matters that advance the common good should the provinces fail to do so; health care, education, social supports, poverty reduction, and inter-provincial trade would be a few examples.  

We have seen little willingness on the part of the federal government to impose provincial standards in most cases because they see no political benefit.