UCP ADDS THEIR POLITICAL AGENDA TO MUNCIPAL ELECTIONS
VOTE NO!
At the same time as the referendum, voters will be asked to choose municipal leaders, school board trustees, and two preferred Senate candidates.
WE PREFER NO SENATORS THANKS
Author of the article:Lisa Johnson
Publishing date:Oct 03, 2021 •
Publishing date:Oct 03, 2021 •
Premier Jason Kenney's government is proceeding with plans to put federal equalization on Alberta's municipal ballots this fall.
As Albertans cast a symbolic vote for or against equalization, many don’t understand what that vote will mean.
In advance polls and the Oct. 18 municipal election, Albertans will face a yes or no referendum question: should Canada’s “commitment to the principle of making equalization payments” be removed from the Constitution?
It refers to a section that says the Canadian government supports the idea of ensuring “provincial governments have sufficient revenues to provide reasonably comparable levels of public services at reasonably comparable levels of taxation.”
In a debate set for Thursday, Trevor Tombe, professor of economics at the University of Calgary, will argue that the equalization referendum is not an effective way to get a better deal for Alberta, while Bill Bewick, Fairness Alberta executive director and professor of political science at Athabasca University, will argue that it is.
Bewick said Sunday he’s joining the debate, hosted by New West Advocacy, to help educate people who don’t understand equalization and federal transfers well enough.
“I also feel like a lot of people don’t know this referendum is happening — still,” he said.
As Albertans cast a symbolic vote for or against equalization, many don’t understand what that vote will mean.
In advance polls and the Oct. 18 municipal election, Albertans will face a yes or no referendum question: should Canada’s “commitment to the principle of making equalization payments” be removed from the Constitution?
It refers to a section that says the Canadian government supports the idea of ensuring “provincial governments have sufficient revenues to provide reasonably comparable levels of public services at reasonably comparable levels of taxation.”
In a debate set for Thursday, Trevor Tombe, professor of economics at the University of Calgary, will argue that the equalization referendum is not an effective way to get a better deal for Alberta, while Bill Bewick, Fairness Alberta executive director and professor of political science at Athabasca University, will argue that it is.
Bewick said Sunday he’s joining the debate, hosted by New West Advocacy, to help educate people who don’t understand equalization and federal transfers well enough.
“I also feel like a lot of people don’t know this referendum is happening — still,” he said.
Bewick said while some are looking for excuses to not support the equalization referendum, that would be a missed opportunity for Albertans to show a collective push for reform.
“I’m doing my best to make sure they know there’s something meaningful at stake here and we can’t risk a ‘no’ vote because that would set things back considerably,” he said.
Tombe said Sunday he agrees Albertans don’t understand the issue, but he hopes the debate helps them clarify where they stand on the principle — that Canadians, no matter where they live, should get comparable public services without having abnormally high taxes.
“In terms of voting because you think it will achieve an outcome that will improve Alberta’s fiscal situation? No, that’s just wrong,” he said, adding it’s unfortunate the question is being posed as a way for Albertans to fight back against others.
Premier Jason Kenney’s UCP has long insisted that the current equalization payments are one of the ways Alberta is not getting a “fair deal” from Ottawa, and Kenney has called the vote a “strategy to elevate Alberta’s fight for fairness in the federation to the top of the national agenda.”
Alberta doesn’t have the power to change the federal program on its own. Under equalization, payments come from Ottawa, using money collected through federal taxes. Transfers are sent out to provinces with lower incomes. Provinces with higher incomes — like Alberta — do not receive transfers.
Tombe said it’s true Alberta has not received a payment for many decades, “but that’s for the simple reason that Alberta is in a really good place.”
“Despite the challenging last few years, our economy remains very strong relative to others, so it’s not a program meant to help out higher income provinces like Alberta,” Tombe said.
Last Tuesday, the Free Alberta Strategy was launched with the support of two sitting UCP MLAs — in part to push to end equalization. However, after announcing the referendum question in July, Kenney hasn’t been actively trumpeting the issue.
Still, some believe he will inevitably play a role in the referendum.
On Friday, former UCP MLA Drew Barnes, now an Independent, said in a news release based on what he has heard campaigning in favour of a ‘yes’ vote, Kenney’s plummeting popularity may spoil the referendum.
“I can tell you today that the top threat to the success of this referendum has become the premier himself,” he wrote.
In late September, then-United Conservative party vice-president of policy Joel Mullan also publicly called for Kenney to resign ahead of the referendum, saying the premier could have a negative effect because of his growing unpopularity.
As of Sept. 28, four groups — Alberta Proud, Vote Yes to End Equalization Inc., Bewick’s Equalization Fairness Alberta, and the Society of Albertans Against Equalization — were registered as third-party advertisers with Elections Alberta.
lijohnson@postmedia.com
“I’m doing my best to make sure they know there’s something meaningful at stake here and we can’t risk a ‘no’ vote because that would set things back considerably,” he said.
Tombe said Sunday he agrees Albertans don’t understand the issue, but he hopes the debate helps them clarify where they stand on the principle — that Canadians, no matter where they live, should get comparable public services without having abnormally high taxes.
“In terms of voting because you think it will achieve an outcome that will improve Alberta’s fiscal situation? No, that’s just wrong,” he said, adding it’s unfortunate the question is being posed as a way for Albertans to fight back against others.
Premier Jason Kenney’s UCP has long insisted that the current equalization payments are one of the ways Alberta is not getting a “fair deal” from Ottawa, and Kenney has called the vote a “strategy to elevate Alberta’s fight for fairness in the federation to the top of the national agenda.”
Alberta doesn’t have the power to change the federal program on its own. Under equalization, payments come from Ottawa, using money collected through federal taxes. Transfers are sent out to provinces with lower incomes. Provinces with higher incomes — like Alberta — do not receive transfers.
Tombe said it’s true Alberta has not received a payment for many decades, “but that’s for the simple reason that Alberta is in a really good place.”
“Despite the challenging last few years, our economy remains very strong relative to others, so it’s not a program meant to help out higher income provinces like Alberta,” Tombe said.
Last Tuesday, the Free Alberta Strategy was launched with the support of two sitting UCP MLAs — in part to push to end equalization. However, after announcing the referendum question in July, Kenney hasn’t been actively trumpeting the issue.
Still, some believe he will inevitably play a role in the referendum.
On Friday, former UCP MLA Drew Barnes, now an Independent, said in a news release based on what he has heard campaigning in favour of a ‘yes’ vote, Kenney’s plummeting popularity may spoil the referendum.
“I can tell you today that the top threat to the success of this referendum has become the premier himself,” he wrote.
In late September, then-United Conservative party vice-president of policy Joel Mullan also publicly called for Kenney to resign ahead of the referendum, saying the premier could have a negative effect because of his growing unpopularity.
As of Sept. 28, four groups — Alberta Proud, Vote Yes to End Equalization Inc., Bewick’s Equalization Fairness Alberta, and the Society of Albertans Against Equalization — were registered as third-party advertisers with Elections Alberta.
lijohnson@postmedia.com
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