Flaherty vows not to shut out Ontario

[jdobbin]

http://canadianpress.google.com/article/AL...QucX490P4_t_lhQ

Premier Dalton McGuinty's government fears the federal government intends to rejig the program to ensure that the country's largest province will not qualify for hundreds of millions of dollars in equalization payments from Ottawa.

But Flaherty told The Canadian Press that's not his intention.

"That is not what this is about, no," he said in an interview.

Flaherty was planning to talk Sunday to his Ontario counterpart, Dwight Duncan, before meeting Monday with all provincial finance ministers to explain what he has in mind.

"It'll give me an opportunity to explain what Ontario's involvement would be were Ontario to be a recipient of equalization in the next fiscal year," he said.

"In fact, the news for Ontario is good. Ontario, in fact, will benefit substantially."

Ontario is the only province that has never received any payments under the 51-year-old equalization program, which is intended to ensure that have-not provinces are able to provide comparable services at taxation levels comparable to those in wealthy provinces.

I smell the old battles over money that we used to see under past Liberal regimes.

Pull the cash, watch the squawking.

Edited November 2, 2008 by jdobbin

[Mr.Canada]

Nope, Ontario finally came to its senses and voted for a majority Torie government and they will be rewarded. Now just Toronto needs to get in line. I predict the Tories will win a TO seat next election on their way to a majority. They'll win more than one TO seat to boot.

[Smallc]

Nope, Ontario finally came to its senses and voted for a majority Torie government and they will be rewarded. Now just Toronto needs to get in line. I predict the Tories will win a TO seat next election on their way to a majority. They'll win more than one TO seat to boot.

Depends on who the Liberal leader is....oh, and talking about people, "getting in line," well, I would say that's almost an insult to democracy, making it seem as if people are right or wrong based on how they vote.

[William Ashley]

Nope, Ontario finally came to its senses and voted for a majority Torie government and they will be rewarded. Now just Toronto needs to get in line. I predict the Tories will win a TO seat next election on their way to a majority. They'll win more than one TO seat to boot.

I actually predict the Tories will loose seats in Ontario in the next election, and will not get any TO seats.

Torries are gonna cut, they are running deficits. They will loose it big time, the longer it takes for the election. They've got nothing.

Also recession and Harpes inability to comprehend the real world will likely be a problem. Fact is Canada has been and will be effected by the US recession.. and with Obama in Office... conservatives will be a loadstone around the countries ankles in the swimming pool.

There is no way they can maintain government for over 2 years.

The only thing that has kept them in so far is tax cuts and lies. People get tired of lies eventually, and they don't have much more wiggle room since they are already overspending.

Edited November 2, 2008 by William Ashley

[bush_cheney2004]

....Also recession and Harpes inability to comprehend the real world will likely be a problem. Fact is Canada has been and will be effected by the US recession.. and with Obama in Office... conservatives will be a loadstone around the countries ankles in the swimming pool.

Of course...your fate it tied to distant Americans....again. What a pity.....

[Bryan]

I would say that's almost an insult to democracy, making it seem as if people are right or wrong based on how they vote.

Certain votes most certainly can be wrong. If a party is planning things that will harm the country, voting for them would be wrong.

[Smallc]

Certain votes most certainly can be wrong. If a party is planning things that will harm the country, voting for them would be wrong.

Well, that's a different case. Again, I voted for Mr. Harper, but I don't find anything wrong with the choices of the people who voted for Mr. Layton or Mr. Dion. I also think its ok for people to exercise their democratic right and vote for the block, no matter the reason (though I cannot for the life of me figure out why you would want to breakup this great country [in fact many that voted for the Bloc don't want to do that anyway based on the actual number of people that support sovereignty.]).

Now, if someone were to vote for a party that was advocating violence or something similar, that would be wrong. When it comes to simple policy though, different people have different opinions on what is harmful and what is not, and we really don't know in most cases until the policy is tried. I agreed with the policies that Mr. Harper was putting forward and voted accordingly, but I don't find fault with the people who voted for the Liberals or NDP because they believe in what the party stands for.

[jdobbin]

Nope, Ontario finally came to its senses and voted for a majority Torie government and they will be rewarded. Now just Toronto needs to get in line. I predict the Tories will win a TO seat next election on their way to a majority. They'll win more than one TO seat to boot.

But they didn't vote for a Tory government led by John Tory so they will be punished first.

[Mr.Canada]

But they didn't vote for a Tory government led by John Tory so they will be punished first.

The one and only reason John Tory isn't Premier is because of his silly campaign promise. One thing sunk his entire campaign. Before flirting with the Liberals and NDP the PC's were in power for 50 years so On isn't scared of the PC's.

[jdobbin]

The one and only reason John Tory isn't Premier is because of his silly campaign promise. One thing sunk his entire campaign. Before flirting with the Liberals and NDP the PC's were in power for 50 years so On isn't scared of the PC's.

But first Flaherty has to punish Ontario to make sure they know that they will not get any dough unless they dump the Liberals.

[Mr.Canada]

But first Flaherty has to punish Ontario to make sure they know that they will not get any dough unless they dump the Liberals.

Not hold back, just give the provinces who voted with the PM their funds first while they shuffle their feet a bit on the areas that didn't. Let them know whom is serving whom.

[jdobbin]

Not hold back, just give the provinces who voted with the PM their funds first while they shuffle their feet a bit on the areas that didn't. Let them know whom is serving whom.

Actually, hold back. Flaherty will try to give Ontario nothing except money for the railway that runs through for his riding.

[Mr.Canada]

Actually, hold back. Flaherty will try to give Ontario nothing except money for the railway that runs through for his riding.

Toronto wants money, Toronto needs to vote with the government.

How much support has Ottawa given the West when the Liberals were in power? Virtually none.

What comes around goes around. Cry me a river.

[Smallc]

Toronto wants money, Toronto needs to vote with the government.

No, that's not the way it works.

How much support has Ottawa given the West when the Liberals were in power? Virtually none.

proof?

What comes around goes around. Cry me a river.

I hope that's not the attitude of the Prime Minister or Finance Minister.

[jdobbin]

Toronto wants money, Toronto needs to vote with the government.

Exactly. We have heard this refrain from Tories in Quebec as well. Don't vote for a Tory in a riding, expect no money.

How much support has Ottawa given the West when the Liberals were in power? Virtually none.

Utter baloney.

What comes around goes around. Cry me a river.

Hey, I'm not crying. I am amused that Harper realizes that there is no end of money that the provinces won't ask for. Alienate the provinces all you like.

[Argus]

But they didn't vote for a Tory government led by John Tory so they will be punished first.

They've already been punished - with an incompetent Liberal government which has raised spending by 50% and is now heading deeper and deeper into deficits.

I can't believe the provincial conservatives let that idiot John Tory stay on after the debacle of the last election campaign.

[Argus]

Exactly. We have heard this refrain from Tories in Quebec as well. Don't vote for a Tory in a riding, expect no money.

Utter baloney.

Absolute truth. My mother spent 13 years on the Hill tracking the massive quantities of money being funneled into Liberal ridings during Trudeau and Chretien's time. The West got shafted time after time while money was stuffed into every Quebec riding. You can look over any program during the Trudeau or Chretien era where the government was able to direct money for grants and you'll find an overwhelming amount went to Liberal ridings. As an Ottawan, as well, I remember the years of job cuts where jobs were transferred from Ottawa and out into Liberal ridings. Even closer to home, my first job, when I was 16, was processing income tax returns for Revenue Canada. Those returns don't come to Ottawa any more. They go out to the tax service offices located in places like Shawinigan and Montreal and Jonquiere, and Hamilton, and St. Johns and Surrey. This was, and remains, a huge waste of resources as HQ remains in Ottawa - and Hull since they moved tens of thousands across the river to more Liberal ridings, and the communications and travel between so many offices is so expensive.

Hey, I'm not crying. I am amused that Harper realizes that there is no end of money that the provinces won't ask for. Alienate the provinces all you like.

As far as my memory goes back there never has been an end to the money the provinces won't ask for.

[Mr.Canada]

They've already been punished - with an incompetent Liberal government which has raised spending by 50% and is now heading deeper and deeper into deficits.

I can't believe the provincial conservatives let that idiot John Tory stay on after the debacle of the last election campaign.

I agree, he should be turfed. John Tory should run for mayor of TO instead.