Max Fawcett appreciates Ken Boessenkool's recent column to disparage the equalization referendum: now he wants the firewall author to recant the rest of it.
Mr. Fawcett is definitely right, but I'd take his argument further and argue against a provincial police force and tax collection for the same reason.
There's lots of talk about the Alberta civil service's size and salaries being too big. Well, who's going to administer our theoretical pension fund, police force and revenue agency? If they're public services, they would presumably need public servants, not to mention all the other costs we'd be taking over from Ottawa.
Right now Ottawa pays part of the costs of the RCMP providing police services. Do the feds pay part of the costs for the OPP and Surete du Quebec? If they don't, then why would they pay for an Alberta police force? We'd just be eating all the costs ourselves.
Oh, and if we're collecting our own taxes the way Quebec does, we'll probably have to fill out two sets of tax forms. My sister lived in Montreal for a couple of years, and she had to fill out separate federal and provincial tax forms. Filling out federal tax returns is a pain, but at least we only have to do it once since it covers our provincial ones to.
You try telling Albertans they'll have to fill out two sets of tax forms and see how far you go.
I have no idea where the all the extra money for this would come from, particularly when the province is already facing a huge deficit. And abolishing equalization won't fix the problem-Roger Gibbins and the Canada West Foundation were debunking the nonsense that we pay for Quebec's social programs through equalization 15 years ago.
Agree or disagree with Max Fawcett, and I don't know enough about the topic to do either, his writing skills are very fine. I read the whole column, every word, despite my lack of interest in the content.
It’s hard to take an argument seriously that starts with “we should let the past be a predictor of the future” when it comes to AIMCo and ends with “never let the past be a predictor of the future” when it comes to demographics.
Mr. Fawcett is definitely right, but I'd take his argument further and argue against a provincial police force and tax collection for the same reason.
There's lots of talk about the Alberta civil service's size and salaries being too big. Well, who's going to administer our theoretical pension fund, police force and revenue agency? If they're public services, they would presumably need public servants, not to mention all the other costs we'd be taking over from Ottawa.
Right now Ottawa pays part of the costs of the RCMP providing police services. Do the feds pay part of the costs for the OPP and Surete du Quebec? If they don't, then why would they pay for an Alberta police force? We'd just be eating all the costs ourselves.
Oh, and if we're collecting our own taxes the way Quebec does, we'll probably have to fill out two sets of tax forms. My sister lived in Montreal for a couple of years, and she had to fill out separate federal and provincial tax forms. Filling out federal tax returns is a pain, but at least we only have to do it once since it covers our provincial ones to.
You try telling Albertans they'll have to fill out two sets of tax forms and see how far you go.
I have no idea where the all the extra money for this would come from, particularly when the province is already facing a huge deficit. And abolishing equalization won't fix the problem-Roger Gibbins and the Canada West Foundation were debunking the nonsense that we pay for Quebec's social programs through equalization 15 years ago.
I could not agree more &, as a Saskie, I am wary of our Premier trying to follow the same path.
Agree or disagree with Max Fawcett, and I don't know enough about the topic to do either, his writing skills are very fine. I read the whole column, every word, despite my lack of interest in the content.
It’s hard to take an argument seriously that starts with “we should let the past be a predictor of the future” when it comes to AIMCo and ends with “never let the past be a predictor of the future” when it comes to demographics.
Pick a lane my friend.
Yeesh.