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Originally Posted by ThePrince
It's still crazy to me how so many use the "there's no direct equalization payment" or "equalization isn't an extra payment" as some sort of gotcha about how equalization works and that Albertans' issues with it are misguided somehow.
The issue is that, like edslunch admits, Alberta contributes more than it receives because Albertans make more on average. Well Albertans make more on average because of an industry that generates a tremendous amount of wealth for Albertans, which is passed along to the rest of the country via equalization payments.
That's where Albertans get pissed. Ya there's no extra or direct equalization payments, but by actively hurting the industry that provides the source of that additional wealth, you are hurting both Albertans and the rest of the country.
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Isn't that position essentially saying Alberta should have the right to do whatever it wants without regard to the negative impacts it has on the rest of the country? For instance, lets pretend Europe refused to buy Quebec aluminum because Alberta's GHG emissions were too high, but would buy them it if we had a national carbon tax. So now Alberta is infringing on Quebec's ability to use it's resources to make money with their resources. The solution is something Alberta rejects. Should other provinces, and the country, not also have a say?