Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

FELDSTED: Equalization is broken, and the federal government is complicit in perpetuating a system of support to provinces that is unequal, unfair and unreasonable


Quebec to receive $1.4-billion equalization boost while oil-producing provinces face deficits
Justin Tang/The Canadian Press ~~ Bill Curry/Globe & Mail ~~ December 9, 2018

Quebec will receive $13.1-billion in equalization payments next year – a $1.4-billion increase – while Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador continue to be left out even though Canada’s oil-producing provinces are facing deficits and hard times.

The equalization system is … aimed at ensuring provinces can provide reasonably comparable levels of public services at reasonably comparable levels of taxation … it is a frequent source of tension between the “have” provinces and the “have not” provinces that receive the payments.

The governments of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador – where government finances are heavily influenced by the state of the energy sector – are all running budget deficits … in contrast, Quebec’s government announced last month that the province’s finances for the year were sitting at a $3-billion surplus …

CLICK HERE to read full story


Equalization is broken. The federal government is complicit in perpetuating a system of support to provinces that is unequal, unfair and unreasonable.


The equalization formula was due to expire March 31, 2019, and it followed that there should have been extensive consultation with provinces prior to renewal. Instead the federal government extended the formula to 2024 under its June 2014 Budget Implementation Act.

Debates over equalization payments are never easy.  Many, especially in the west, were pushing for changes, but this debate ended before it even began. The government avoided controversy by ducking its responsibility to treat provinces equally and fairly.

Actions speak louder than words and this action is not acceptable. Our federal government is too timid to exercise its authority and build the pipelines we need to market our resources. Pretending that its reluctance is a result of its commitment to fight climate change is ridiculous. The world is not reducing carbon emissions to meet Paris Agreement targets.

It is delusional for our government to believe that it is, and that Canada can contribute significantly to reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Common sense and critical analysis are not government strong points. We deserve better. 

John Feldsted
Political Consultant & Strategist
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Labels:

Comments

  1. Edward HollettDecember 10, 2018 at 10:50 AM

    Equalization is about incomes, not outcomes. Since AB, SK, and NL already have more than enough revenue to meet the national standards in Equalization on their own, what's unfair about it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alan ForsethDecember 10, 2018 at 1:30 PM

      How about the fact that Quebec goes stupid in debt -- still manages to have a balanced budget -- and yet still receives a ridiculous amount from the Equalization Fund. That makes no sense at all. And then there's the fact they vehemently oppose the very resource development projects that provides them with billions in Equalization payments ... that's disgusting.

      Delete
  2. Alan ForsethDecember 10, 2018 at 11:34 AM

    Here's the telling tale of STUPIDITY from October 2017 ... Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre celebrated the Energy East (cancellation) announcement on Thursday, suggesting that citizen groups and local politicians from the Montreal-area played a key role in putting a stop to the project.

    WHAT A MORON!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. KurtDecember 10, 2018 at 3:01 PM

    Equalization rewards incompetence. NB receives 30 % of their annual budget from equalization. Why risk anything? By the way...P.E.T when making up the equalization formula left out Quebec's income from ALL of their hydro electric business from the formula. Of course eastern Canada is in no hurry to update anything.
    The elephant in the room is western separation.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Alan ForsethDecember 10, 2018 at 3:11 PM

    That call seems to be getting louder and louder once again ... and all because of another individual named Trudeau

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Budget 2027: After a Decade of Decline, NDP Budget Delivers an Assault on Seniors, Working Families, and Small Businesses

Peter Milobar, BC Conservative Finance Critic, condemned the NDP government’s latest budget as the result of a decade of decline that has left British Columbians broke, unsafe, and paying more for less.   “After ten years of NDP mismanagement, this budget is an assault on seniors, working families, and the small businesses that drive our economy,” said Milobar. “The NDP have turned their back on the people working hardest to make ends meet and the seniors who built this province.” Milobar pointed to a new $1.1 billion annual income tax increase and warned that the government is piling new costs onto households already struggling with affordability.   “This government keeps asking British Columbians for more, while delivering less,” Milobar said. “The question people are asking is simple: Where has all the money gone?” Milobar noted that BC has gone from a surplus in the first year of NDP government to a projected deficit of more than $13 billion this year, while prov...
Post a Comment
Read more

WARD STAMER -- Those are REAL forestry numbers, not just made-up numbers

The following is a condensed version of remarks Kamloops – North Thompson MLA Ward Stamer’s made, regarding Forestry, in the BC Legislature, on Tuesday afternoon (02/24/2026)   Let’s talk a little bit, when we talk about Budget 2026, about the forest industry, which is near and dear to my heart. Forestry remains one of British Columbia’s foundational industries. It’s a pillar that built this province. Entire communities depend upon it. Interior towns, northern communities, Vancouver Island regions, the Kootenays, the Lower Mainland, with manufacturing facilities in Surrey and Maple Ridge, just to name a few — everywhere in BC is touched by forestry. One word that was not mentioned in Budget 2026 was forestry. That’s a shame, an incredible shame. It wasn’t an oversight – it was intentional. This government has driven forestry into the ground .... INTO THE GROUND! We can talk a little bit about some of the initiatives that this government has brought forth, to try to resurrect ...
Post a Comment
Read more

FORSETH -- Before anyone gets excited about one poll showing a candidate with a 25 percent lead, and 44 percent support overall, let’s give it a few more weeks

Is this based in reality -- how accurate are the numbers? In the past couple of weeks a couple of candidates, for the leadership of the BC Conservative Party, have been presenting polling results that they lead the pack – one even going so far as to say they have a lock on 44% of those who will be voting, and a twenty-five percent lead over the individual ranked second. I am going to say that this one, from Kerry-Lynne Findlay, is highly suspect. First of all the company conducting the poll, ERG National Research, is not a Member of Industry Bodies (the Canadian Research Insights Council), meaning they do not adhere to established industry standards for research, such as transparency, privacy, and methodological rigor. AI Overview states that ... based on alerts from the Canadian Research Insights Council (CRIC) and reports, ERG National Research should be treated with extreme caution regarding its reliability, and legitimacy, in conducting political polling. Before I even read this in...
Post a Comment
Read more

Labels

Show more