“In 2018-19, equalization payments will rise to a new high of $19 billion. Sixty-two per cent will go to Quebec, while Alberta taxpayers will contribute about $3 billion. This amount is actually only a portion of approximately $20 billion of net federal transfers out of Alberta this year.” (Ted Morton, Calgary Herald, April 7, 2018).
So to summarize a clear paragraph, Alberta “paid” $20 billion. In one year. There, David Merritt (St. Albert Gazette, Your Views, Dec. 8), is your five per cent, actually closer to 10 per cent, sales tax you say we require. In essence, we are paying it to the rest of Canada. Why should us taxpayers be burdened with more?
Are we going to pay less to equalization then? Like Quebec, which has a sales tax with essentially free post-secondary schooling and $7-per-day daycare? Or will it just be more money taken from already beleaguered citizens?
So who here is “ill-informed”? Mr. Merritt suggests I read someone else’s opinion who is as ill-informed as himself.
I wrote another excellent letter to the editor that was published in the Gazette on Dec. 5, I suggest you read that. Or maybe look up Canada’s Equalization Formula, where you will find the correct information in a host of publications.
To suggest that there was something wrong with privatization of some services during the Klein years leads me to believe that that person wasn’t living here when the motor vehicle registries and ALCB were government-owned. It was a bloated mess. It would take half a day to register a car, and the liquor stores were far and few between and usually lined up out the door.
My significant other is an RN, so believe me, I know about the cuts that happened back then, and they were totally necessary.
I will now sign off on this file as I await the barrage from all the other “informed” letter writers. Meanwhile, I’ll continue to send a large portion of my paycheque to Quebec.
Tony Gull, St. Albert
