NovaScotian

I never thought of that, but the spike occurs in 2001. Wasn't Alberta in the grips of a big drought then?

Lets be truthful here. Science as we know it today is only about 400 years old. The Earth existed for hundreds of millions, perhaps a billion years before life arose. And "life" at this time was nothing more then DNA molecules that could only make crude copies of themselves. It then took another 3 billion years too reach the level of amoeba. So to say "has science created a self-producing life form" is like asking a 6month old to write a 100 page theses on quantum mechanics.

Many of the states whose debts were being "assumed" did not consider it the least bit friendly. It is one of the main reasons why the US central government is powerful, and the State governments, while powerful within their borders, have no power internationally. It is also one of the reasons that we don't have secessionist movements popping up like dandelions in April in this country. Do you think the States like not being able to secede? What about that rebellious state: Vermont Vermont Free Vermont!

You clearly did not read the quote. "Relative to GDP, total business subsidies in Atlantic Canada have remained close to the national average throughout the last 15 years." I found this graph on a blog referring to the study. Business Subsidies All Levels of Government Annual Average, $millions http://www.moncton.localintheknow.com/blog/apec.gif You can see that Nova Scotia for example has much lower subsidies then Saskatchewan and Manitoba with roughly the same population. In fact, total subsidies in the Atlantic region hardly equal those of Manitoba. Quebec with 3X the population of the Atlantic, received 8X more business subsidies. You can also see the subsidies to Alberta can also spike well over the national average. I am unsure what caused that spike but it could partially be related to agriculture. Ontario with 5X the population of the Atlantic received 4X the level of subsidization. Ontario business subsidies ~ $220 per capita, Atlantic region ~ $275. So they are not too far off. I really do not know what your are trying to imply, that Atlantic governments are corrupt? That is quite the statement. I can think of instances of the past were patronage was a problem, but it is hardly an ongoing problem.

No, this article was published by the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council (APEC). not AIMS. Following the Money trail was AIMS's response to the original study. I found this quick blurb on there website. "Vol. 39, No. 2, Summer 2004 In 2001, the total value of subsidies to businesses in Atlantic Canada was $648 million. That said, the vast majority of subsidies from all three levels of government in Canada are paid to firms in central and western Canada. In all four Atlantic provinces, total business subsidies have been trending downwards over the last decade. Relative to GDP, total business subsidies in Atlantic Canada have remained close to the national average throughout the last 15 years. As a share of industry GDP, they were higher than national rates in 1999/2000 in certain sectors. This reflects, in part, a regional focus on value-added resource-based and advanced manufacturing, among others. About half of the “business” subsidies in the region are directed towards non-commercial objectives, such as social housing and important ferry routes. Substantial questions remain about the impact of these subsidies on the regional economy. " http://www.apec-econ.ca/Publications.asp?I...words=subsidies

So that means 25 to 30% of the equalization budget goes to the Atlantic provinces. A region of the country with about 8% of the Canadian population. Yup seems fair to me. Not exactly fair math. 25%-30% of equalization budget goes to 20% of the equalization receiving population of Canada.

We wish you could too.. I cannot find the article online, but i have found references too it. "For one thing, the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council has shown that, contrary to public perception, total subsidies to business in Atlantic Canada (per capita) are well below the Canadian average." http://www.novascotiabusiness.com/site-nsb...it%20happen.pdf

Interesting to note that Ontario and Alberta have the lowest corporate taxes, with economical and manageable public services and the least amount of subsidies to private business of all the provinces in Canada. In other words, half the problem with the 'poor' Provincial governments is government incompetence in those Provinces with their noted passions for high corporate taxes and public services beyond their own means and high levels of political patronage and subsidies to private business. This fits the maritimes to a 't'. Ontario has the lowest corporate tax rate? Ha, it has there highest in Canada at 42.2% and Alberta tax rate is about tied with New Brunswick. http://www.advisor.ca/news/article.jsp?con...620_154516_4576 Subsidies! What about the $16.6 billion to AECL or the numerous federal and provincial subsidies to auto and manufacturing. Or massive agriculture subsidies to agriculture and the oilsands? It should be known that the Atlantic region has the lowest subsidies to business in Canada per capita. I wish I could find the article my prof showed us. The political economy in Canada is far from the mantra of low taxes, low subsidies = success. Equalization is only one way money is distributed around this country.

Newfoundland has about 2.7 billion barrels of oil offshore, Certainly enough to wipe its debt, but of course offshore is federal jurisdiction right? Alberta has 175 billion barrels of oil and without it you have to admit the province would have never payed it off so fast. Its a given and no reason to deny it.

I would love to see McKenna to run, but Iggie is my second choice. Dion looks/acts more like a librarian then a future PM.

Not really,Ontario is just wanting to keep some of it's own "have province" cash in their own province instead of sending it to the formally "have not provinces" in Maritimes. It should however be noted that 70-75% of the equalization budget goes to non-Atlantic provinces.

What do we get in Alberta for doing it ourselves? A pat on the back for cutting spending, but really sitting on the worlds largest oil and gas deposit doesn't hurt either.

McKenna was Premier of New Brunswick from 1987-97. I believe and pioneered the "McKenna Miracle" which saw New Brunswick take a big leap. You can read more about what he try to do in NB here. http://www.isuma.net/v02n04/murrell/murrell_e.shtml. I believe he also has strong business ties in central Canada and the US.

"The report concludes that if cost adjustments were made, Ontario would be in line to receive almost $3 billion in equalization." Ontarians are always looking for a handout!!!! As for AIMS, it is only good in small doses.

So they are suggesting that the federal government payoff provincial debts? I would be in favor of that. It would be expensive, but in the long run it would pay off. I believe that our interest payments on debt are about the same as equalization.

I am not sure about food, but with smoking I imagine the taxes more then make up for any healthcare costs associated with treating them.

I have known gay men that are extremely masculine and ones that are feminine. Sexual orientation is completely separate from how masculine or feminine a guy is.However, anyone with a fauxhawk should expect some criticism. Silly guys!

No doot aboot it. Unfortunatley most of Newfoundland's wealth is government transfers. They have the lowest median income in Canada. True, and of course oil income goes to government coffers, not the average person. Unlike Alberta the banaza of offshore oil doesn't usually translate to onshore economic booms.

Lingustically, NFLD is..unique. But it hardly impoverished today. Its GDP per capita as of 2005 was 41,733(almost equal to Ontario), a far cry from $22,000 only 6 years earlier.

By paying for it themselves. Newfoundland has no motive to fix things as long as Alberta pays their bills. Cut them off and their people will demand change (and services). Right now Williams can trash his province and enjoy exactly the same standard of living. It's the worst in welfare. That is not exactly true. The projected NL equalization payment by 2008/09 is 197million, just 18% of what it was given 8 years ago.

Alberta has it's issues, but it's unfair to say that we are American-like or backwoods by any means. We have alot of homeless right now, under a difficult housing crisis in Calgary especially. Inflation is trouble. The environmental impact of exploration is troubling. Even with our proposed solutions though, we truly are a progressive place. Interestingly, the left in Canada loves the Euros for all their sexy socialism. There is no evidence of that in the Liberals or NDP policy, they hold on to outdated health care ideals, education systems from the '60s and on and on. In Alberta, you'll find that we've taken alot of examples from leading democracies like Norway, Switzerland and so on and implemented them into our social policies. We are the most progressive, euro-like place in Canada in terms of economcics and how we run our social programs. We are willing to try new adventureous ways of doing things, seeing if they work or if they don't. The rest of Canada is overly dogmatic about everything, I can even imagine mentioning private provision of health care back East... despite that all the superior health care systems in the world use it. Yet Alberta receives alot of hate from the left for whatever their perceived reasons are. No doubt, Alberta is very intolerant of those that don't work, that choose mediocrity, ect. ect.. There isn't alot of equality enforcing policies here. You get what you deserve here, perhaps that's what they dislike. On a serious note, no one likes stereotypes. This coming from a cod kissin, lazy bum, from a have not province, that when not fleecing the system to buy a new house is complaining about how the government should to more to prop up dieing industries. I admire Alberta for a lot of reasons. It is certainly a place to start anew. Here in the maritimes there are a lot of tradition, family roots and many struggle to let go of the old and embrace the new. In Alberta you can start a new. It is a place that is not afraid to experiment or tell people how it is (Only in Alberta can the premier stumble drunk into a homeless shelter and yell at them to get jobs and be elected three times!). I wish people here would adopt a more Alberta like spirit, many of policies that your province follows are desperately needed here.

Gee golly, this Alberta place sounds swell. Can you tell me more of this wondrous land?

^ I thought Harper was born in Ontario?

Sounds like a "tinfoil hat" site to me. I've certainly never heard of the slightest interest in taking over Canada. And if more Americans knew about NL, the Territories aww, whats wrong them NL and the territories.

No, not large quantities, but it does have hydro power, mineral wealth, vast stretches of arable land and lumber.