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EQUALIZATION / TRANSFER PAYMENTS The new Equalization Formula unlike the one before was changed by the Harper government to include 50% of non-renewable resource wealth into the Formula. If you don't know what the non-renewable resources are let us enlighten you, its Alberta's oil, natural gas, our coal and coal methane. Let us tell you what renewable resources are, its Ontario and Quebec's huge Hydro industry. Why did Stephen Harper's conservative government do this? One reason is Quebec wants to build the biggest Hydro dam in the world on the Churchill water shed. The deal is already done with the local first Nations and the radical environmental groups around the world support it whole heartedly. Most of the electricity produced will be exported to the United States. To make this happen all Quebec needs is the money to build it. Such a money making project should be easily financed from the world money market. But this would mean Quebec would have to pay interest on this money for many years to come. Now, why would they want to do that when Quebec can get the billions of dollars that they need from Albertans interest free. And the best part for Quebec is that they will never have to ever pay this money back. For if they ever reach the point of a 'have' province status in Canada then they/Quebec will actually really separate. In other words once Quebec bleeds Alberta dry and there is nothing left for them to get they will be gone. Yes, it may take 15 to 20 yrs to happen but as things stand it will happen. The only way to stop the Canadian federal political parties from continuing to give Quebec what it wants is for Alberta to adopt the Alberta Agenda. And once this is done to finally and firmly say no and let Ottawa know that no means no more. Just to give you an idea of how this program affects you as an Albertan, digest this: Since 1961 to 2002 Albertans have paid an extra $244 billion to Ottawa. At the same time, Quebec received $217 billion (while threatening to separate). It would appear it pays much better to be un-Canadian than pro-Canadian. Last year alone Albertans paid an extra $16 billion to Ottawa in extra federal taxation. That is approximately $5,000 for every man, women and child in Alberta or $20,000 for a family of four. Once again Quebec was the overall winner. Last year Quebec received an extra $7.6 billion in hand-outs from the flawed Equalization Program. Now Stephen Harper wants to use our money to buy votes in Quebec by giving an extra $2 billion under this program for a total of $9.6 billion in 2009. The only other province considered a “have province” under equalization is Ontario. Since 2002 Ontario's share in extra taxation has increased to $22 billion, but that is only approximately $2,400 per capita as compared to Alberta's contribution which is upwards to $5,000 per capita. The tax payers of Ontario were in line to pay on extra $23 billion but Ontario’s liberal government balked and the total was reduced to $0. The existing Equalization Formula is more flawed than before as it now contains natural resources (namely our oil, gas, natural gas, coal and methane). Some people, mostly socialists, will continue to look at Equalization/Transfer payments as a good deal for all Canada. However, is it fair to Albertans to have to pay for the past socialist experience in British Columbia and NDP experience in Ontario? Is it fair for Albertans to continue to pay for Quebec’s romance with separatism, which chased industry out of that province? The experiment with federal and provincial socialist governments in Canada and separatism in Quebec continue to cost Albertans dearly. It has become evident to a good many Albertans that adopting the Alberta Agenda is the only reasonable and commonsense way for Alberta to bring an end to Ottawa’s dominance over Albertans.
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