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RedHot25 · 01-17-2007, 08:09 AM

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/...e.html?ref=rss

The federal government is facing a backlash from some provinces over a report it plans to change the formula for equalization payments, with Saskatchewan's finance minister calling it an "absolute betrayal" of a Tory campaign promise.

In the last two election campaigns, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservatives pledged to exclude natural resource revenue from the federal program that gives to poorer provinces to help narrow the gap between "have" and "have-not" regions.

But the CBC's French-language network reports the government will renege on that pledge in its next federal budget, expected in March. Radio-Canada said Harper instead plans to follow the recommendation of a federal task force by including 50 per cent of the natural resource revenue when calculating a province's wealth.

If Harper makes the move, it would mean big losses in equalization payments to provinces like Newfoundland and Labrador and Saskatchewan.

01-17-2007, 08:09 AM	#1
RedHot25 Franchise Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Probably stuck driving someone somewhere Exp:	Tories' reported plan for equalization changes provokes backlash http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/...e.html?ref=rss The federal government is facing a backlash from some provinces over a report it plans to change the formula for equalization payments, with Saskatchewan's finance minister calling it an "absolute betrayal" of a Tory campaign promise. In the last two election campaigns, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservatives pledged to exclude natural resource revenue from the federal program that gives to poorer provinces to help narrow the gap between "have" and "have-not" regions. But the CBC's French-language network reports the government will renege on that pledge in its next federal budget, expected in March. Radio-Canada said Harper instead plans to follow the recommendation of a federal task force by including 50 per cent of the natural resource revenue when calculating a province's wealth. If Harper makes the move, it would mean big losses in equalization payments to provinces like Newfoundland and Labrador and Saskatchewan.