Equalization is in the constitution. The only choice Alberta has is to separate if they don't like it. They certainly don't get to pick which provinces get equalization funds from Ottawa. And let's be clear, it's not Alberta's money that Quebec receives.
Yes it is in there - And it is always being amended. And I believe that harper will make that a major change - like health care - over a set period.
A question to ask yourself is why Equalization is so complicated that only a few in the country understand how it works.
Does that not say loads about what should be a base system for transfers to a have not - But when they can also have more doctors, teachers etc per cap than a have province also needs to be addressed.
Recall a few years back - Charest crying for money - Got 2 billion from Harper - during an election he then used 7 to 8 hundred millionof that for tax cuts.
They have the lowest tuition for post secondary
Day care that is now a right - 7 bucks a day and when they raised it from 5 there was hell to pay.
Face it - have not provinces have not used the money at times in ways that would improve the economy = jobs = tax revenue -
Look at the riots in Que over tuition hikes - How are last year students going to make up that lost time?
No, but I can read:
33. (1) Parliament or the legislature of a province may expressly declare in an Act of Parliament or of the legislature, as the case may be, that the Act or a provision thereof shall operate notwithstanding a provision included in section 2 or sections 7 to 15 of this Charter.
What's your problem? What part of that confuses you so much as to think it can apply to something other than what that clause says?
Jeez you're thick.
I wonder if the Not Withstanding Clause can be used - What about the have Provinces saying No with one voice as I am sure will happen if there is not long term change.
And if you recall the Provinces have a lot of say on this. While written in the Const - the program has changed each time it was up for renegotiation.
Equalization Program
"Parliament and the government of Canada are committed to the principle of making equalization payments to ensure that provincial governments have sufficient revenues to provide reasonably comparable levels of public services at reasonably comparable levels of taxation." (Subsection 36(2) of the Constitution Act, 1982)
How Equalization Works
•Equalization entitlements are determined by measuring provinces' ability to raise revenues – known as "fiscal capacity".
•Before any adjustments, a province's per capita Equalization entitlement is equal to the amount by which its fiscal capacity is below the average fiscal capacity of all provinces – known as the "10 province standard".
•Provinces get the greater of the amount they would receive by fully excluding natural resource revenues, or by excluding 50 per cent of natural resource revenues.
•Equalization is adjusted to ensure fairness among provinces while continuing to provide a net fiscal benefit to receiving provinces from their resources equivalent to half of their per capita resource revenues.
•Equalization is also adjusted to keep the total program payout growing in line with the economy. The growth path is based on a three-year moving average of gross domestic product (GDP) growth. This helps to ensure stability and predictability while still being responsive to economic growth.
•The program also maintains the benefits of the Atlantic Accords for Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador. In 2007, the two provinces were given the choice to continue to operate under the previous Equalization system or to permanently opt into the new program at any point prior to the expiry of the offshore accords. Having chosen the new program, Nova Scotia benefits from a guarantee that it will do at least as well, on a cumulative basis, as it would have under the formula agreed to at the time the Accord was signed. Newfoundland and Labrador no longer qualifies for Equalization.
