Consider this fact — in the past two fiscal years, Quebec has collected more revenue from natural resources than Alberta. This reality, which may be stunning to some, is symbolic of a broader trend where provinces that receive equalization payments have generally seen their ability to generate revenue improve more than provinces that do not receive payments.
The babe in the red dress will fix Nafta. All is well.
“Quebec has collected more revenue from natural resources than Alberta.”
I must be having a bad day: I don’t quite understand what the writers mean.
Are they saying Québec’s own natural resources generate more revenue for that province than Alberta’s do for it? And if so, so what?
The real stat that matters is the resource revenue per capita. And that is very different from what the CH and lance are focussing on. AB has a very substantial lead in that metric that matters when it comes to equalization.
That fake news bias noted, equalization is being abused by QC et al provinces that have crown owned hydro assets. And the formula needs huge revisions. I have along the red deer and alberta chamber of commerce passed policy resolutions on it and narrowly missed getting it made national c of c policy. In addition I spearheaded a policy resolution in the wildrose to generate a study of equalization – passed unanimously and Completed.
The point is there is plenty of power and reasons to the argument that equalization needs to be reformed (and that the case needs to be made much more bluntly and forcefully) – there is no need to distort the argument by citing the factoid above.
I have a simple solution for the “have not” provinces … who are losing revenue through Equalization … impose a “Luxury Tax” on Quebec!!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxury_tax_(sports)
The concept is simple (as in the MLB and NFL) … BIG Market Politicians (sports team called the PROG’s) are able to buy the cutest Politicians with famous surnames and good hair because of their massive Equalization Revenue. This creates a political imbalance in Canada. Therefore, those RICH coastal provinces need to have the playing field “leveled”(re-leveled?) through a “Luxury Tax”. Then small market politicians will have the same $$$ warchest as the PROG’s.
Don’t FIGHT Equalization. Just re-equalize. If you can’t beat em … join em. Impose a TAX. How can the PROG’s argue against a new TAX?
That’s my FREE advice to the CPC … TAX the mutha’s. Re-TAX their TAX
is this really a country??????
“I have a simple solution for the ‘have not’ provinces … who are losing revenue through Equalization … impose a ‘Luxury Tax’ on Quebec!!”
Can’t be done.
Provinces have no constitutional power to impose taxes on other provinces.
But they DO HAVE representation in Parliment … no ?
The only solution, is to simply leave confederation. But, since there are no politicians willing to threaten that (except Quebec), we are in a permanent and unchangeable losing position.
Something stinks here.
From the Quebec government web-site Alberta energy brought in $85.4 billion (energy) in 2015. Quebec earned $4.1 billion (forest), $21.1 (mining) and $13.0 (energy) for a total of $38.1 million and its sector has grown by a few percent while Alberta’s energy sector has declined by a few percent.
38.1 / 85.4 is 45% of what Alberta is doing.
“Quebec has collected more revenue from Natural Resources than Alberta has”.
wtf?
$38.1 billion.
https://www.cpq.qc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/01927_etude_2_prospérité_ANGLAIS.pdf
“But they DO HAVE representation in Parliment … no ?”
Well, yes, if you want to modify the equalization programme, you can only do that in Parliament. But here’s the rub: it would still be up to the Federal government to do it (i.e., the party in power). So if you want something done about the programme, you have to elect a Federal government that will do that something.
The provincial premiers can certainly counsel the Federal government that it should be changed if they believe that but – here’s another rub: equalization is purely an “output” programme. There is absolutely no provincial-level input at all; equalization is taken out of Federal tax revenues as a whole, collected not from provinces, but from individual Canadians, companies and corporations across the country.