Montreal to Spend $1.3 Million Combating Illicit Cannabis 12/14/2018

The real problem with the payments is it does not react quick enough to current circumstances. The money is or was mostly fueled by high oil prices. Now that oil is in the crapper the HAVE provinces are screwed and paying to provinces that can take care of themselves.
Newfoundland pays out a transfer payment.....WTF. They are thoroughly financially fucked from the oil industry and dumber than average politicians.
Alberta and BC are not doing a lot better due to the oil price either.


Maybe Quebec should allow home growing but you have to buy all of the gear from Hydroponics Quebec. They could tax the shit out of it and fix their problems

VIANARCHRIS said:

The way to fix that is to eliminate equalization payments altogether. Provinces will pay less to the feds, but they will need to pay their own way. It would benefit places like BC and Alberta who already pull their weight, but Quebec would implode without the $14 billion/yr we give them.

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I agree those payments should stop, but actually... If the federal government was equitable in its redistribution of wealth, that would more than offset the loss of that particular funding for the provinces who receive it.

MedicatedHiker said:

You've missed the point. If they provinces received their fair share of federal funding, that would more than offset the loss of that particular funding.

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Huh? You missed my point. The feds have no money. If provinces reduced their contributions they make to Ottawa through taxes to only cover federal expenses and ended equalization, it would force the current 'have not' provinces to create industry and live within their means and thus improve life for those currently subsidizing them. Quebec has always been a have not - this would give them the incentive to change that. Win - win.

OldMedUser said:

Lot of Liberals in Quebec too so could be looked at as buying votes too.

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Maybe, but they are actually underfunding the provinces who receive those payments. The duplicity of it is quite something.

VIANARCHRIS said:

Huh? You missed my point. The feds have no money. If provinces reduced their contributions they make to Ottawa through taxes to only cover federal expenses and ended equalization, it would force the current 'have not' provinces to create industry and live within their means and thus improve life for those currently subsidizing them. Quebec has always been a have not - this would give them the incentive to change that. Win - win.

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You leave out the part where other provinces are getting federal subsidies that surpass their fair share.

Quebec's economy is stronger than you give it credit for. Again, it has the second largest GDP in Canada.

MedicatedHiker said:

You leave out the part that other provinces are getting federal subsidies that surpass their fair share.

Quebec's economy is stronger than you give it credit for. Again, it has the second largest GDP in Canada. It's also the reason why Trump claims he scrapped NAFTA (Quebec's cheap electricity allows its smelters to keep costs low and output high), so probably not the basket case you paint it to be.

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I left nothing out. Provinces, including Quebec, receive subsidies for projects. That is completely separate from equalization payments. If Quebec's economy is as strong as you claim, they should have no problem refusing that $14 Billion next year. That is $14 Billion that could remain in the provinces it was earned. What a concept.

VIANARCHRIS said:

I left nothing out. Provinces, including Quebec, receive subsidies for projects. That is completely separate from equalization payments. If Quebec's economy is as strong as you claim, they should have no problem refusing that $14 Billion next year. That is $14 Billion that could remain in the provinces it was earned. What a concept.

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Another disingenuous argument, eh?

And who would refuse funding without assurance that the federal government will behave itself in an equitable manner?

Again, it has the second largest GDP in Canada.

MedicatedHiker said:

And who would refuse funding without assurance that the federal government will behave itself in an equitable manner?

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Yet you expect the rest of the country to fund that? GDP means nothing when it fails to support it's citizens or programs. BC's GDP is lower, yet we hand our money over to Quebec to fund free university and subsidized daycare that we don't have ourselves. Wake up - this country is about to get a shake-up. Alberta and BC are both separately looking into leaving confederation - there is NO money for Quebec once that happens. Ottawa will adjust the formula in our favour in order to keep Canada in tact. Or they can call our bluff and see what happens. Either way works for me.

VIANARCHRIS said:

Yet you expect the rest of the country to fund that? GDP means nothing when it fails to support it's citizens or programs. BC's GDP is lower, yet we hand our money over to Quebec to fund free university and subsidized daycare that we don't have ourselves. Wake up - this country is about to get a shake-up. Alberta and BC are both separately looking into leaving confederation - there is NO money for Quebec once that happens. Ottawa will adjust the formula in our favour in order to keep Canada in tact. Or they can call our bluff and see what happens. Either way works for me.

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Once again, the provinces who receive those funds are actually receiving less than what would be equitable from the federal government when we look at all allocations to provinces. Why would they stop accepting those funds unless there are assurances they'll receive what's equitable in exchange?

You do get what equitable means, right?

VIANARCHRIS said:

The way to fix that is to eliminate equalization payments altogether. Provinces will pay less to the feds, but they will need to pay their own way. It would benefit places like BC and Alberta who already pull their weight, but Quebec would implode without the $14 billion/yr we give them.

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Should just abolish the federal government and allow provinces to do their own thing

They could save 1.3 million right off the bat instead of using it to continue the failed war on drug mentality. Save a few bux getting rid of their stupid language police too.

Distinct society my ass. How far would 13 billion go to giving our native peoples clean water to drink, decent schools and proper food to eat? Francophones are just immigrants to Canada like the rest of us non-indigenous thieves who robbed them of their lands and self-respect.

They get the money because we still kiss their collective asses to keep them in Canada when we should have let them separate the first time they voted on it. See how long they would last without the rest of Canada paying them to hang around. Tabernac!

MedicatedHiker said:

You do get what equitable means, right?

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Sure do...does it have a different meaning in Quebec? Equitable does not mean taking my money to give to someone else. The federal government takes some of my money and gives it to Quebec and Quebec gives noting back to me in return. I understand this is not equal. Quebec got a cheque for $14 billion and some got nothing, that's not equal.
Ending equalization and forcing provinces to live within their means is a very equitable solution. Those who work harder and smarter enjoy a better quality of life. Currently, it works the opposite. When Quebec can offer free university, pay for language pis, etc, etc, on our money while we go without, it breeds contempt. When we have a tool like you who just doesn't get it, it makes us wish you had separated. Now the rest of us will need to separate from Quebec to stop the bleeding.