Quote:
Originally Posted by Flames in 07
If transfer payments didn't exist, there would be less need to tax in Alberta. Factual statement.
Transfer payments reduce the burden of receiving provinces to properly manage their budgets. No need to balance, because our transfer payment will help patch/delay the problem.
Quebec has absolutely disconnected from the reality that what they do has to be subsidized by outside sources. In the long run, free anything is taken for granted. It creates entitlement and doesn't properly prepare labour for competitive, free markets. When people who get things for free compete with others who have to work for it, I have my money on the latter every time.
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I see. You oppose all equalization programs on principle (opposition to anything free) alone. I suppose that is fair enough. Your principle does create one problem however: what do you propose we do with the ~14 billion dollars (approximately $4,000 per Albertan, compared to the ~$1,000 per person that Quebec nets in Equalization payments) in resource royalties that the Government of Alberta receives each year? Money does not get any more free than that.