British ColumbiaB次元官网网址檚 premier says he wants to support Newfoundland and LabradorB次元官网网址檚 plans to sue Ottawa over the federal equalization program, which transfers money from wealthier provinces to poorer ones, calling the current formula B次元官网网址渃ompletely absurd.B次元官网网址�
David Eby told reporters Monday he hopes to have an announcement on the matter before the three-day Council of Federation meetings of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 premiers in Halifax wraps up on Wednesday. The premier said British Columbia taxpayers are put at a disadvantage by the equalization formula, which is an attempt by Ottawa to reduce regional wealth disparities across the country.
B次元官网网址淭he thing that really frustrates me, and an issue that IB次元官网网址檓 raising at the (Council of Federation) table and generally, is that B.C. taxpayers are sending tax dollars to Ontario through equalization. That is completely absurd. Ontario is not struggling to provide schools or hospitals,B次元官网网址� Eby said.
British Columbia has not received payments from equalization in more than a decade.
Eby claims that equalization B次元官网网址渉as resulted in the last two years of a billion dollars going to Ontario, while B.C. taxpayers are struggling, just like everyone else, with affordability issues.B次元官网网址�
On May 30, Newfoundland and Labrador said the province would file a constitutional challenge against Ottawa over the program B次元官网网址渋n the coming weeks.B次元官网网址� The Newfoundland and Labrador government has said the formula is flawed, and the province could have received between $450 million and $1.2 billion in each of the last five years instead of receiving nothing.
Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey said Monday that despite his provinceB次元官网网址檚 court challenge, heB次元官网网址檚 hopeful that upcoming talks with the federal government will allow both sides to avoid legal action.
B次元官网网址淏ut again, weB次元官网网址檙e firm in our proposition that the (equalization) formula isnB次元官网网址檛 being equally applied. It doesnB次元官网网址檛 contemplate the cost to deliver services. As a result, that doesnB次元官网网址檛 reflect the spirit of what was signed in the Constitution,B次元官网网址� Furey told reporters Monday in Halifax.
Furey said he has had B次元官网网址済ood meetingsB次元官网网址� about equalization with Eby, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe B次元官网网址� who has already expressed willingness to join Newfoundland and LabradorB次元官网网址檚 legal action.
Eby would not confirm on Monday whether his province would join the lawsuit, but he said the status quo is B次元官网网址渃ompletely unacceptable.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚t is my continuing frustration with the federal government that they offer programs to other provinces that are not available in British Columbia,B次元官网网址� he said, adding that Ottawa has announced it will spend $1.2 billion on a hospital that serves First Nations in northern Ontario.
B次元官网网址淟et me tell you, we could certainly use investment like that in B.C.,B次元官网网址� he said.
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