Asymmetrical federalism

[Leafless]

Quebec just finished signing a $1.1 billion dollar deal with no strings attached while New Brunswick Premier Bernard Lord has been trying for months to negotiate it's own deal but accused the Liberals of being inflexible with his province. "I hope this means the federal government will be willing to offer the people of New Brunswick the same thing their willing to offer to the province of Quebec."

I think there is to much secrecy involved in the concept of assymetrical federalism and seems to be nothing more than a federal blank cheque to give to provinces to support unaffordable provincial aspirations.

The problem with this is who is in the rightful federal positon to decide who get's what and under what terms.

This it appears is nothing more than an extension of the banana repulic the Liberals have turned Canada into. No accountably with taxpayers money and no fairness applied to ensure each province gets what the other receives.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2005/10...1283196-cp.html

[PocketRocket]

This it appears is nothing more than an extension of the banana repulic the Liberals have turned Canada into.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Banana republic????

[Yaro]

So then which way should the fed turn, should it become more authoritarian? I am trying to understand exactly what your after here, is it for everyone to have exactly the same deal regardless of geographic differences? That sort of stinks of federalism doesn't it?

[Semperfi_dani]

I think maybe its too easy to expect the exact same deal be extended to a provice that has a quarter of the population than Quebec? Perhaps what they are asking for works out so that that province (in this case New Brunswick) gets more funding per person than any other person?

So before i offer any more comments or blanket statements, what exactly is Bernard Lord asking for? I would hate to label our governement as authoritarian or assymetrical before I evaluate the facts.

[tml12]

Quebec just finished signing a $1.1 billion dollar deal with no strings attached while New Brunswick Premier Bernard Lord has been trying for months to negotiate it's own deal but accused the Liberals of being inflexible with his province. "I hope this means the federal government will be willing to offer the people of New Brunswick the same thing their willing to offer to the province of Quebec."

I think there is to much secrecy involved in the concept of assymetrical federalism and seems to be nothing more than a federal blank cheque to give to provinces to support unaffordable provincial aspirations.

The problem with this is who is in the rightful federal positon to decide who get's what and under what terms.

This it appears is nothing more than an extension of the banana repulic the Liberals have turned Canada into. No accountably with taxpayers money and no fairness applied to ensure each province gets what the other receives.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2005/10...1283196-cp.html

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Quebec's Charest government has been pushing asymmetrical federalism more than any other Quebec premier (and, as far as I read, more than any premier in terms of looking at sovereignty vs. asymmetrical federalism).

Of course, Martin would want to give credence to asymmetrical federalism in Quebec more than any other province because Quebec is the only province that seriously threatens confederation at this time.

Does it work? That is a question that has yet to be answered. I think we need to see more of it in action before we can pass judgment.

[Semperfi_dani]

Of course, Martin would want to give credence to asymmetrical federalism in Quebec more than any other province because Quebec is the only province that seriously threatens confederation at this time.

hehehe..dude..have you been to Alberta lately? Seperation has become part of our daily dialogue..

[I Miss Trudeau]

hehehe..dude..have you been to Alberta lately? Seperation has become part of our daily dialogue..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've lived in Alberta for over 20 years and I can tell you that the only place seperation is part of daily dialogue is on AM radio.

[Semperfi_dani]

I've lived in Alberta for over 20 years and I can tell you that the only place seperation is part of daily dialogue is on AM radio.

You and I must live in different Alberta's than For sure, its a 630 Ched favorite topic for that blowhard Dave Rutherford. But I guess I must just hear about it more than you do. I work with a great deal of conservative minded people, i have family that live in rural areas. I'm not saying its openly talked about out loud..but it is talked about. Otherwise, it wouldn't keep being brought up on the news... and mentioned by Klein as a "possibility he has heard about" when asked in scrums.

[I Miss Trudeau]

You and I must live in different Alberta's than   For sure, its a 630 Ched favorite topic for that blowhard Dave Rutherford. But I guess I must just hear about it more than you do.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I hear it once in a while. But then, I hear more positive talk in Alberta of reducing or shutting down energy exports to the US than I hear positive talk of Alberta seperation.

I'm not saying its openly talked about out loud..but it is talked about. Otherwise, it wouldn't keep being brought up on the news... and mentioned by Klein as a "possibility he has heard about" when asked in scrums.

Klein...pffft. He knows very well that without a federal government to scapegoat, he'd be chewed up and spat out by the Alberta electorate in no time.

[Semperfi_dani]

I hear it once in a while. But then, I hear more positive talk in Alberta of reducing or shutting down energy exports to the US than I hear positive talk of Alberta seperation.

Oh for sure..me too. If that time ever came to be, i'd move out of Alberta!

But you hear that old "lets seperate" by whining old guard conservatives who, when they don't get their own way, threaten to seperate. Hell, most Albertans ignore them too! But, there is a formal political party that advocates seperation, and as we know all to well by Canada's political history, you never really want to ignore them completely either..ynwim? You can always tell who they are because to them, despite the fact that most albertans are doing better today, and despite the fact that oil prices across the world dropped in the 80's, still bring up the NEP as if it was their Holy Grail! (hahaha).

Klein...pffft. He knows very well that without a federal government to scapegoat, he'd be chewed up and spat out by the Alberta electorate in no time.

Amen sistah. And for as much as he blows about corruption in the federal Liberal Party, i'm going to wager a guess that there's far more corruptions and handouts in the Alberta Government's PC party than anything. The guy has been unchallenged by even his own members..and if anyone speaks about leadership inquiries or disagrees with him, they move to the back of the pack in a hurry.

[Semperfi_dani]

BTW..not sure if you are a sistah or a brother..hahahah. Just had to toss out an Amen...hehehe.

[Montgomery Burns]

I Miss Trudeau:

But then, I hear more positive talk in Alberta of reducing or shutting down energy exports to the US than I hear positive talk of Alberta seperation.

I find that difficult to believe. It's not common sense. Stop exporting to your largest customer?

[Semperfi_dani]

I find that difficult to believe. It's not common sense. Stop exporting to your largest customer? ohmy.gif

I think that what we are referring to is the pipeline that is being built towards BC to attract Chinese and other asian companies. The US will always be our biggest customer, but fiscally, it makes sense to diversify to asian markets who have the strongest economy. I think some economic forcasters expect Asia to be our largest customer base in years time, but i doubt that..because the US is the biggest energy consumptions...

But if they are successful in building the pipelines in Alaska, their demand on Alberta's energy resources will decrease.

There, i've nerded out.

[mcqueen625]

This it appears is nothing more than an extension of the banana repulic the Liberals have turned Canada into.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Banana republic????

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes I have heard in other formats Canada being referred to as nothing but a Banana republic, and I must say I agree with that statement. What do we expect when we continue to send a government to Ottawa who has shown every Canadian that they cannot be trusted with taxpayer's money. They lie, they steal, the defraud, they are corrupt, in fact they give new meaning to the term corrupt, and they take it to a whole new meaning. People demonize Stephen Harper as being scary when he has never had a chance to either prove or disprove that contention, and they instead go to the polls and elected again to power the most corrupt group of politicians this country has ever seen.

I don't get it, we continue to piss and moan about things like Sponsorship Program, HRDC missing $ Millions, and other instances of corruption and outright theft, yet the people of Ontario and the Maritimes send representative of the Liberla Party right back to Ottawa to continue pillaging the National Treasury. When is enough going to be enough? I'm sure I don't have the answer to that one.

[tml12]

Of course, Martin would want to give credence to asymmetrical federalism in Quebec more than any other province because Quebec is the only province that seriously threatens confederation at this time.

hehehe..dude..have you been to Alberta lately? Seperation has become part of our daily dialogue..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey,

When your Alberta Alliance Party gets double-digit number of seats I'll believe it. The PQ has around 44 seats here and can conceivably form the next government...but if any other province is seriously inferring separation I'll take Alberta...

[Bakunin]

Assymetrical federalism and fiscal imbalance is the same thing.

The federal government perceive too much money for his task. Then he use that money to try to control the provincial juridiciton, to control where the money has to be used and then they try to use it as a political realisation of their own government.

I guess that strategy problably work in many part of the country but in quebec its a devastating strategy, it has been a strong argument against the liberal federal for years... And have been used by all the provincial party including jean charest and even on the federal scene by the conservative, the ndp and the bloc. All other party are carburating with this liberal stragety and give no choice to Paul martin but to apply asymetrical federalism for political reason.