A note to Western Canada: The rest of the country understands tough economic times

[6V53]

Quote:" A note to Western Canada: The rest of the country understands tough economic times"

Chuck where is your office Ottawa or Hull ? How many staff do you have and whats your annual budget? Man you sure seem to enjoy stirring up Western Separation.

[shtferbrains]

This is from a recent IPSOS poll;

Alberta and Saskatchewan residents are not happy, and there is rising support for separation in both provinces, although well below majority levels in either province. One-third (33%) of Albertans and slightly more than one-quarter (27%) of Saskatchewan residents agree with the statement that ‘my province would be better off if it separated from Canada’. A belief that Alberta would be better off if it separated is up 8 points from just over a year ago (from 25% to 33%) and up 14 points from 2001 (was 19%). A belief that Saskatchewan would be better off if it separated is up 9 points from just over a year ago (from 18% to 27%) and up 14 points from 2001 (was 13%).

Only Quebecers (26%) rival Alberta and Saskatchewan in the belief that their province would be better off after separation. Very few residents in other regions think their province would be better off (13% BC, 11% Manitoba, 9% Atlantic Canada, 8% Ontario).


Note both Alberta and Sask are more willing to leave Ottawa behind than Kabek.

[grassfarmer]

This is from a recent IPSOS poll;

Alberta and Saskatchewan residents are not happy, and there is rising support for separation in both provinces, although well below majority levels in either province. One-third (33%) of Albertans and slightly more than one-quarter (27%) of Saskatchewan residents agree with the statement that ‘my province would be better off if it separated from Canada’. A belief that Alberta would be better off if it separated is up 8 points from just over a year ago (from 25% to 33%) and up 14 points from 2001 (was 19%). A belief that Saskatchewan would be better off if it separated is up 9 points from just over a year ago (from 18% to 27%) and up 14 points from 2001 (was 13%).

Only Quebecers (26%) rival Alberta and Saskatchewan in the belief that their province would be better off after separation. Very few residents in other regions think their province would be better off (13% BC, 11% Manitoba, 9% Atlantic Canada, 8% Ontario).


Note both Alberta and Sask are more willing to leave Ottawa behind than Kabek.

Yep, at 1/3rd or less interested it's going nowhere - not even on the radar politically. Time to focus on getting a better deal within the existing set-up.

[GDR]

What's your answer for the 13 Billion dollar transfer payment?

My answer would be to make the formula work for us. (Even though I'm not a socialist but yes paying more taxes may actually help in this case) AB pays more cause incomes are higher even though we pay for stuff they dont. If everyone took an accross the board pay cut yet got those same dollars back through social problems, employer benefits etc we would be no worse off and the formula would work better for the west. Some examples in Quebec is almost free, day care, drugs, post secondary education etc. Just plain and simple it costs less to live there so equal incomes accross the country are not equal.

Hydro is cheap there and there is some exclusion for the formula for hydro cause its "their" resource. Well if we went back to public power generation from our resources maybe could argue the formula backwards.

Not the changes I'd like to see but sometimes it's better to play the game than fight a losing battle.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Time to focus on getting a better deal within the existing set-up.

OK, I'm all for that. And how do you propose we go about that? We will never accomplish that at the ballot box, the numbers just don't allow that. And the demographics going forward don't paint a very favourable picture in the current arrangement.

What leverage do we have that we can use to negotiate a better deal?