... Albertans really dislike equalization. And now that we’ve reached a fork in the road, will we ... stick it in their provincial eye? Because if you want to destroy Canada smugly, brushing off this vote should do the trick. ...
We face a crisis in the federation where a lazy resort to attitudinizing could well cause disaster. ...
Making it go away may be the instinct of the political class including Premier Jason Kenney, who has sat on the fence so long the iron has entered his soul, an expression indicating servility not firmness. He pre-emptively explained that the vote “is about whether or not Alberta should push hard to get a fair deal. The point of it is to get leverage for constitutional negotiations with the federal government about reform of the entire system of fiscal federalism, which treats Alberta so unfairly.” Such verbiage could mean anything but probably doesn’t.
Still, beware of taking it at lack of face value. Kenney has spent his adult life adopting right-wing positions he can abandon to earn grudging admiration from liberals — unlike Albertan voters, only 22 per cent of whom now like him. If he treats a yes vote as about “leverage” rather than, say, ending equalization, do not take it as the voice of Alberta. ...
But one thing driving Albertan discontent is scorn for those who create wealth. Please do not treat it as ignorant rubbish.
Laurentian elites may consider Albertans such hicks they don’t even understand that equalization doesn’t involve their government sending a cheque back east. But when people know they’re being ripped off, telling them they’re too dumb to understand the situation will not soothe them. ...
equalization ... an expert panel in 2006 discovered a whole hidden extra layer not even they knew about. And that Albertans pay and pay, and Quebec has received half the money. ...
If Albertans do vote to end equalization (and they have), Supreme Court rulings about Quebec discontent oblige the feds to hold discussions in good faith. If instead they brush it aside like a Senate election, with or without Kenney’s complicity, I think it will be the final straw and the next vote will be on separation. Unless you despise Albertans, wealth creation, conservatism or common sense, please try not to make such an outcome more likely.
Read John Robson's full article Here.
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