Brad Wall asks for a handout

[mentalfloss]

Socialist


Saskatchewan premier wants $570M from Ottawa in federal budget


REGINA – Saskatchewan has put money into a federal program to help other provinces and now it’s time to get some payback, says Premier Brad Wall.

Wall says he’d like Saskatchewan to get at least $570 million in new funding in next week’s federal budget. That’s the amount the province will pay into equalization this year.

Equalization transfers funds from “have” to “have-not” provinces so that poorer jurisdictions can offer government services at levels similar to elsewhere.

Wall says it doesn’t make sense that Saskatchewan continues to contribute so much at a time when the province’s energy sector is struggling.

“And so we’re not asking to get any more, we’re not asking to have our status changed. We like being a “have” province,” Wall said Wednesday during the second week of campaigning for the April 4 provincial election.

“We’re just saying recognition … that Saskatchewan taxpayers are putting this money in at a time of energy sector challenge — recognition being having some equivalent amount of money come back from the federal government in the budget — I think that’s fair.”

Saskatchewan premier wants $570M from Ottawa in federal budget - Macleans.ca

 

[Dexter Sinister]

Wall doesn't understand how equalization works. Can't really blame him for that though, nobody does.

 

[Bar Sinister]

Wait a minute. Brad Wall is the leader of a conservative government. How come he is having the same problems as Alberta?

 

[JLM]

Didn't we hear quite recently that SK. is the richest province in Canada? Peter?

 

[Dexter Sinister]

I haven't heard that, and I live in Saskatchewan. We just started a provincial election campaign too, and I'd expect Wall would be making much of that claim, taking credit for it and running on a "stick with what works" platform. Instead he seems to be arguing the NDP is stuck in the 1990s, hasn't had a good idea since, and didn't really have any then either, but it's early days yet. He may be right to some extent though, the NDP has raised again the old shibboleth about the right privatizing the major public utilities, even though after almost a decade in office there's been not even a hint from Wall or anybody else in his party that anyone's even thinking about it. I'm not impressed with anyone so far except the NDP candidate in my riding. All candidates have been at my door and she is by far the brightest, best informed, and most thoughtful of them. And I generally vote for the candidate, not the leader and not the party, so I think I've made up my mind.

Wait a minute. Brad Wall is the leader of a conservative government. How come he is having the same problems as Alberta?

I presume you're being facetious. You're way too smart and subtle for most people. You're one of the people here I wish I knew in real life.

 

[mentalfloss]

Didn't we hear quite recently that SK. is the richest province in Canada? Peter?

Brad was smoking the potash.

 

[Ron in Regina]

“And so we’re not asking to get any more, we’re not asking to have our status changed. We like being a “have” province,” Wall said Wednesday during the second week of campaigning for the April 4 provincial election.

“We’re just saying recognition … that Saskatchewan taxpayers are putting this money in at a time of energy sector challenge — recognition being having some equivalent amount of money come back from the federal government in the budget — I think that’s fair.”

Holy Hell!!! Sign me up!! I'll gladly take back the amount I
contributed towards income tax in the last year, both
Federally & Provincially.

 

[Frankiedoodle]

I completely and absolutely agree with Brad Wall. The more the better, just in case other provinces (like Quebec) want to throw some extra in. Frankiedoodle Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

 

[Dixie Cup]

What? Did you think he'd say - oh, keep all the money we gave you. No problem - there's more where that came from? DUH!

 

[taxslave]

SInce the drop in crude oild has put Dutch Disease to bed one would expect those manufacturing powerhouses of Ontario and Quebec could carry the equalization program on their own.