[NOS2Go4Me]

02ztsian,Feb 1 2006, 10:36 AM Wrote:Look at the above chart to see how much we contribute to the equalization formula.
[right][snapback]167881[/snapback][/right]

You've balanced the budget, and that's good. But... and I really want to know, why does a single province get to decide that they're no longer part of the country and not part of "the solution"?

Ontario isn't balanced, but it's still the economic center of Canada. Nuff said. The TSX is here... Ontario is the accepted, and literal, figurehead of the country. Good, bad or otherwise we're expected to lead the way fiscally and politically. And we do.

Alberta hasn't always been balanced, but unless I'm horribly mistaken Alberta is now about to start receiving payments it no longer needs / requires. Is that true? Why does a province with a balanced budget need equalization payments? Because their one true source of income as a province is magically exempt?

What if the feds and Ontario decided that equalization payments were outdated and subsequently they were cancelled? What if we were proactive enough to correct THIS imbalance:

http://www.strongontario.ca/english/

What then?

But we won't. We're federalists and Canadians, and strongly so. We'd rather ensure the country stays in one piece while our investment opportunties are missed, crumbling infrastructure and health care institutions are stalled during development and repairs (North Bay is a shining example of the latter) while we ensure that there is a steady flow of cash to the entire country.

I'm not necessarily attacking you as I am engaging the idea that Alberta is great because it balanced provincially and now decides that its income is somehow "exempt" according to the guy they as Albertans elected.

Wanna know something even more scary? Harper was born and raised in Toronto. He then moved to the west during / after university. You guys can keep the shmuck.