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

FRASER INSTITUTE: Albertans kept 2017 federal deficit from doubling to $39 billion


CALGARY — Today, the Fraser Institute released a new study, “How Albertans Continue to Keep Federal Finances Afloat”.

That study indicated that the federal government’s deficit in 2017 would have reached a staggering $39 billion—instead of the $19 billion actually recorded—if not for the disproportionate net revenue contributions from Alberta.

“Canadians are aware of Ottawa’s recent large deficits, but it’s less well known that the financial contributions of Albertans every year keep those deficits from being much larger,” said Ben Eisen, Fraser Institute senior fellow and co-author of How Albertans Continue to keep Federal Finances Afloat.

The study finds that between 2014 and 2017 -- even at the depths of Alberta’s recession -- the province sent Ottawa $92 billion more than it received in federal transfer payments and services.

During the same three-year period, Ontario — the next highest contributing province — had a net contribution of $38.6 billion, well less than half of Alberta’s.

Quebec, by contrast, received $71.9 billion more in federal transfers than it contributed to Ottawa.

Crucially, without Alberta’s large net contribution to the federal government’s bottom line, the recent federal deficits would have been much larger. For example, in 2017, the deficit would have been approximately $20 billion larger (more than doubling in size from $19 billion to $39 billion) without Alberta’s contribution.

“Even in recession, Albertans stabilized federal finances and kept Ottawa’s deficits from soaring to much higher levels, which would have negatively impacted all Canadians and future generations,” Eisen said.

“Canadians everywhere should understand that Canada’s fiscal health continues to rely heavily on Alberta’s economic success, so policymakers in all provinces should do what they can to help Alberta succeed—this includes helping ensure the completion of pipelines and other resource projects,” said Steve Lafleur, Fraser Institute senior policy analyst and study co-author.



The Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

GORDON F. D. WILSON: When The Trick Masquerades as The Treat

Thirty-seven years ago, Halloween 1987, I became the leader of the BC Liberal Party.   British Columbia was badly polarized. Social Credit held one side and the NDP the other. It had been twelve years, 1975, since Liberal MLAs Garde Gardom, Pat McGeer, and Alan Williams had walked away from their party to join Social Credit, one year after the lone Progressive Conservative MLA Hugh Curtis had abandoned his party to sit with Bill Bennett, the son and heir apparent to long-serving BC Premier, WAC Bennett.   An unwritten agreement by the biggest Canadian political shareholders, the federal Liberals and Conservatives, decided that if British Columbia was to remain a lucrative franchise from a revenue perspective, they couldn’t risk splitting the electoral vote and electing the real enemy, the NDP, so no resources would be used to finance either a Liberal or Conservative party provincially.   “There are two sides to every street,” I was told by a very prominent Canadian businessman who cont
Post a Comment
Read more

FORSETH: As a BC Conservative member, and campaign worker, I will again state that the fact these errors were found -- AND brought to light BY Elections BC -- shows the system IS working

Sadly, two and a half weeks after the BC provincial election campaign, those who want to undermine our political process are still at.  PLUS, we also have one who doesn’t even live in our country, never mind our province. I speak of the buffoon running for President of the United States, who has poisoned the well when it comes to faith in the electoral process. Just today alone, comments such as the following, were being made of posts that I shared online: ... all the votes they keep finding has just favoured NDP on in all critical ridings and soon they will flip another riding in favour of NDP, Come on. ... Elections BC has ridiculed British Columbians, and I no longer have confidence or trust in their process and competence regarding the results Then there are others online, with comments like these – who are claiming fraud in the October 19th election: ... Who is the oversight for Elections BC? They should be investigated for election fraud! ... Fraudulent election ... should be red
Post a Comment
Read more

New BC NDP cabinet ready to take action on cost of living, health care, housing, climate

Premier David Eby has announced a new cabinet made of experience and new energy that will focus on tackling the problems people are facing, and working to make life better for British Columbians. “British Columbia is a wonderful place to live, but people are looking for action on the issues facing them and their families,” Premier Eby said. “If the pandemic taught us anything, it's that we can't solve these problems alone. We need to solve them together. My team of determined colleagues will use a wealth and variety of experiences to continue the good work we’ve started and go further to deliver results people can see and feel in their communities.” The new cabinet members are tasked with helping regular British Columbians with the cost of living, strengthening the health-care system, tackling the housing crisis so people can find affordable, attainable homes, making communities safer, advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, fighting the impacts of climate change and
Post a Comment
Read more

Labels

Show more