It’s time to end equalization payments to provinces
By Letter to the Editor on August 5, 2021.
Editor:
The upcoming vote on scrapping equalization is critically important, as it could be key to changing how Alberta is treated in Confederation.
A “yes” vote would force every province to look into equalization and hold their own vote. If 7/10 voted “yes,” it would be removed from the constitution.
Even if we lost, the federal government would take notice of Alberta,and possibly listen to our needs. But only if we give a resounding “yes” vote, will we be taken seriously.
Equalization is a joke right now. Danielle Smith just wrote “Newfoundland and Labrador is on the brink of bankruptcy yet doesn’t qualify for equalization. Quebec has been running surpluses and paying down debt, and they receive at least $10 billion a year from the program. If I had my druthers, my starting point would be that only small provinces should be allowed to qualify for equalization. I think PEI has it particularly tough – attempting to run all the government programs that are available in other provinces with a population the size of Red Deer.”
Quebec has really taken advantage of the program, and while leaving their resources in the ground, they have repeatedly blocked Alberta’s from going east!
The latest hurt their own Quebec company; GNL Quebec. A week ago saw Quebec’s Environmental Minister Benoit Charette reject a $14 billion project that would bring liquefied natural gas from Western Canada, to Port Saguenay Quebec, so it could be exported to Europe and Asia.
Charette said it did not meet his standards for the environment and may discourage natural gas buyers from using cleaner energy sources! Yet it is Alberta’s revenue from the sale of fossil fuel that pays the bulk of Quebec’s equalization payments!
It is time to cancel equalization and put in something to protect our truly vulnerable provinces.
Right now it is nothing but a cruel joke, and a pawn Quebec uses to exact gain from politicians.
Please go and vote “yes” to remove equalization from our constitution.
Jill Skriver
Lethbridge
-1
Lets analyze the flaw in this theory.
Liberals have always greased Ontario and Quebec
Quebec has a population of 8.5million
Quebec and Ontario together have a population of 24million
Canada has a population of 37.5 million
On Average 63% of Canada’s voting population vote on Federal Election day
So, the larger the Grease given to Quebec and Ontario the larger the voter turnout voting Liberal.
Where does the Liberal Grease come from? Some totally irrelevant group to the outcome of the Federal Election, that group would be called ALBERTA!
What will a symbolic vote on killing equalization or ending the Liberals ability to Grease result in? Some Laughter from the Liberals and a comment that all people in Canada deserve an equal standard of living and they are just playing Robin Hood in this deal that’s all! For as long as Liberals exist, so will equalization, up to and including the day that Quebec becomes a “have province”. Then and only then will equalization be under review because you can bet that Quebec will never contribute to Canada like Alberta is forced too!
Being a guy who has always considered himself to be a Conservative I’m not dumb enough to bad mouth the Liberals when it was Stephen Harper and Jason Kenney who increased the payments to Quebec to help them buy votes, and it worked.
It’s just like Kenney is trying to do in Alberta. He cuts corporate taxes by $9.4 billion for the rich and we are expected to let him cut wages for the doctors, nurses and teachers and apparently you don’t care, why? It’s the only thing these damn Reformers know. Look after the rich and make the rest pay for it.
Don’t forget the studies showing what they gave away in taxes and royalties in Alberta that proves we don’t need equalization if they were following how Lougheed handled our wealth. Norway and Alaska are doing it right.
Why don’t you and these ignorant Albertans who believe all these Kenney lies google these. It explains it really well.
“Equalization and Alberta- Lie Tracker”
“The Equalization History That Jason Kenney Likes to Forget”
The fact is he is playing mind games with stupid Albertans and they are letting him do it. As a member of the Harper government they increased equalization to Quebec by 50% It doesn’t make guys like Dennis look very smart, does it?.
you understand that both sides grease all they can simply to gain power. and then they grease some more in order maintain power. the system is corrupt, all the way through. it is time to go to the polls and ruin one’s ballot. it is time to send the message that we will no longer legitimise the corruption and sleaze.
btw: quebec does indeed get far too much relative to all others. and what makes it even worse is that province so very obviously discriminates against all that are not french mother tongue white. it is disgusting.
No we didn’t see Lougheed doing it, he didn’t need to. You obviously haven’t talked to the people I have met over the years who came to Alberta to get away from the high costs of living in Quebec. Why don’t you check what they are paying for taxes?
lougheed is a long time ago; also, his govts were not squeaky clean. however, his was of a higher standard than what was around then, and “god like” compared to what it all has become now.
taxes in qc are high, and so is corruption.
It’s all about buying votes and both the Federal Conservatives and Liberals are guilty of this practice. If you blame just one party of the practice, it’s time to take off the blinders.
exactly.
There is no way we should turn our backs on our fellow Canadians who don’t have the ability to create the wealth Alberta is capable of doing. The problem is we have allowed these phony conservatives , Reformers, to give all ours away to their rich friends.
Kenney wants us to believe that Ottawa is deliberately screwing Albertans out of our money but don’t forget where your Old Age Security, Canada Pension Plan, and Health care benefits come from, plus all the other handouts they have been providing to the provinces. Our airport in Edmonton is getting $25 million to help out with what covid has done to them.
First, the constitution would have to be opened to get rid of equalization. Can it be imagined what else would come up then? How about (not that it wouldn’t be justified but…) $trillions in indigenous land claims? And, the rest of the provinces and territories agreeing to this would not happen.
It should be well known, that because equalization is based on personal income through Revenue Canada, that for ‘Alberta’ to pay less in equalization, that more fair/higher tax rates should be implemented in Alberta. There’s nothing like keeping the money here.
It’s actually based on what a province is capable of producing in the form of taxes and resource wealth and while these Reformers, beginning with Klein have been giving all ours away, Kenney wants Ottawa to replace the Billions they are giving away with equalization payments and that’s not going to happen.
Canadians aren’t stupid they have seen the studies that prove how badly we have been screwed by these Reformers and aren’t going to be willing to bale us out, why should they?
The survey on the side proves that Albertans have always looked to Ottawa for help and I agree our farmers do need help and Alberta is so broke, thanks to these Reformers, Kenney can’t do it.
Would it be thought that the farmers/feedlot operators who have made $millions in profit for years would not have a buffer for a dry year? How many of those who have spent $millions on land, equipment, input costs, etc. are in dire straights? The crux could be if this drought weather pattern continues into years to come.
indeed, the feedlots and the slaughterhouses rake it in most years (not the ranchers near as much); they find every loophole to avoid paying taxes; they whine when govts spend money on the little folk in need; and they wail like like babies whenever their bottom line takes a hit. like other businesses, a bad year here and there should be part and parcel of the reality. stop giving these people bailouts.
I spent too much time working with farmers and ranchers to agree with you. I know what it costs to run their farming operations, only to see it destroyed by hail or drought. I know it takes three years to recover from a hail storm and I saw farmers hailed out three years in a row.
The upcoming vote on scrapping equalization is a complete waste of time. It is just a political ploy by Kenney to make people think he is on their side. We could vote 100% in favor and it will mean nothing whatsoever.
Just saw this in the Herald. It’s always Christmas in Quebec!!! https://lethbridgeherald.com/news/national-news/2021/08/05/ottawa-announces-6billion-transfer-to-quebec-aimed-at-strengthening-child-care/
Take a look at what taxes they are paying.
You nailed it. He is playing games with stupid Albertans.
Absolutely agree Sharkmeister but then I would hope that most Albertan’s would know this already. Kenney either takes the glory when things go right or blames not only the Liberals but Justin Trudeau personally for anything that goes wrong. It’s getting a little bit old.