Alberta Premier Jason Kenney used a meeting of Canada’s conservative premiers to give Justin Trudeau a blunt message – you owe Alberta $6 billion..Kenney used the meeting, that was focussed mainly on health, to reissue his plea for the feds to revamp the federal fiscal stabilization program..During a nationally-televised press conference, Kenney told reporters Alberta has paid $630 billion to Ottawa over the years..“And it’s something Albertans have been proud to do, being a part of nation-building,” said Kenney..“Alberta has been there for Canada and now it’s time for Canada to be there for Alberta..“Now is our time of great need.”.Along with the COVID-19 pandemic, Kenney noted Alberta has been hit with record low oil prices which has resulted in the second-highest unemployment rate in the country along with “crisis'” in addiction and mental health..He said a $60 a person cap the feds put on stabilization payments 20 years ago has cost Alberta $6 billion, money he wants Ottawa to cough up now.. Defying crackdown, hundreds march against lockdowns in Calgary .“All we are asking for is to be recognized for the way the system was supposed to work,” said Kenney.. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on Kenney to make sure any equalization rebate from the federal government goes directly to Alberta taxpayers..“The Alberta government doesn’t pay equalization, Alberta taxpayers do, so any equalization rebate should go back to Albertans who are paying the bills, not to provincial government coffers,” said Franco Terrazzano, Alberta Director for the CTF..“Alberta families and businesses are struggling, and this equalization rebate would go a long way in helping Albertans survive this downturn.”. A $6-billion equalization rebate could mean about $1,400 for each Albertan..“Kenney is right to try and bring home more of our federal tax dollars, but he needs to make sure that money gets back to the families that paid for the province’s oversized contribution to the feds,” said Terrazzano..The four premiers also issued a joint call to Trudeau to massively increase health transfers to the province..Quebec Premier Francois Legault noted that the feds currently only cover 22 per cent of provinces’ health care costs – a figure they want hiked to 35 per cent..That would see federal health transfers go from $42 billion a year to $70 billion annually..Legault said health care expenses are growing at six per cent a year as the country’s population ages..“We want the federal government to continuously fund 35 per cent of health care spending – with no conditions attached,” he said..They also demanded a meeting with Trudeau this fall with only one thing on the agenda – health care..“This is so the deal is ready for the next budget in April,” Legault said..The premiers – including Ontario’s Doug Ford and Manitoba’s Brian Pallister – also called on the feds to fund a new infrastructure program with $10 billion a year for the next 10 years..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.TWITTER: Twitter.com/nobby7694
