- Transfer Payments - Ha, Next Harper Prorogue Canada and Defer to the Provinces

Ghiz raises issue of equalization cuts in meeting with Shea, Wayne Thibodeau, 15/01/10
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=318615&sc=98
Posted 15/01/2010 at 2:42 PM

I suggest that Harper's true agenda is to eliminate equalization payments.

Why, you ask.

Equalization payments are one of the biggest 'glue's' that keep all the Provinces together as one nation. It represents all Canadians getting together to help those that need help and protect those that need protection.

Harper's agenda is to dismantle Canada as a coherent nation abandoning its responsibilities leaving the Provinces to fill the void. Hand-in-hand with this is deserting the tax field and leaving it to the Provinces.

We have seen this agenda in 'action' a number of areas already Global Warming not the least. It is no accident that Harper's approach to Global Warming abdicates responsibility and leaves it to the Provinces to take the necessary action.

Anyone who is not convinced that this is a very deliberate and well thought out agenda might look back over Harper's public life and what he has professed, not the least of which is the Firewall Letter.

It's funny how Harper attacks Ignatieff for having spent so much of his public life outside Canada, where Harper,himself, has dedicated much more of his to dissolving Canada. I might laugh, if it weren't so important, not only to us but also to our children and our children's children.

They are the ones that will be required shoulder a withering economic burden in a hollowed-out shell of a nation whose social fabric has been torn asunder. Who amongst us will be able to take a step back, look the next generation in the eye, so to speak, be proud to say "This is Canada, this our nation, it's your turn now".

Who amongst us can say, "We have stood on guard for this great nation of ours and what it stands for. We have maintained and preserved what our forefathers achieved in the past, and perhaps improved on it."

Who can feel confident that we are leaving our children with the appreciation of us having lived here and not a bitter resentment that we were ever given a turn at the helm.

Whereas, for Harper, it's 'Canada be Damned' ['Damned' was censored by the newspaper - 'public be damned' is a very famous quote and has come to refer to outrageous arrogance of public figures who have their own self interest at heart to the detriment of the people generally. In this context the appropriateness ought to outweigh any offense to people's sensibilities, I am sure people are much more concerned about what Harper is doing to our nation]. In fact he has deeply ingrained contempt for Canada as a nation and our Parliamentary institutions.

Soon Harper will claim 'Canada is dysfunctional', prorogue Canada and defer entirely to the Provinces.

Harper's base is in Alberta. They make up the die-hardest of his supporters, and perhaps the source of the lion's share of the Con's funding. Harper, from the start has done everything to increase Alberta' autonomy and protect its oil industry, and Canada be [censored - see above] - this is nowhere more apparent than Harper's policies on Global Warming. Natural Resources Department assessment indicates that the projected increase to economic growth from the oil industry is $885 billion between 2000 and 2020, including growth of $634 billion in Alberta. Just imagine how much the benefit would remain in Alberta if there were no Federal taxes. Then there is the transfer payments, which would be hugely increased, that would be done away with. You do the math.

Lloyd MacIlquham cicblog.com/comments.html