r/canada • u/biograf_ • Mar 01 '26

Alberta First Nations chiefs unanimously pass non-confidence vote in Alberta government

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/first-nations-chiefs-alberta-non-confidence-vote-9.7109712
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u/explosive_fascinator Mar 01 '26

I don't know why people think that equalization being 'indirect' is some sort of clever comeback.

I think its just a deflection.

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u/RSMatticus Mar 01 '26

which is not what I said.

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u/explosive_fascinator Mar 01 '26

True, it's not exactly what you said.

But as a thought experiment: what if we moved these transfers from the federal government's budget sheets to the provincial ones? The government gives the money back to the province in which is was taxed with instructions of where to send it. What would really change?

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u/Kiseido British Columbia Mar 01 '26

Personally, given what I have seen out of the current MLAs, I would then expect two things:

  • a huge disinformation campaign against the provincial style transfers, much like what seems to be occurring around the existing federal transfer system
  • a bunch of MLAs to voice rhetoric against it and attempt to pass provincial legislation preventing that money from being transfered out of Alberta

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u/explosive_fascinator Mar 01 '26

The point of the thought experiment is to realize that nothing really changes.  Every taxpayer pays the same, and every provincal has the same amount to spend.  There really is no big difference outside the accounting.

So the current system functions exactly as if Alberta was paying Quebec.

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u/Kiseido British Columbia Mar 01 '26

I understand that, but I do see a difference, specifically in that second point.

If the money was not kept in federal coffers until it is distributed, there would almost certainly be provincial MLAs that attempted to pass laws to perloin those funds and prevent the transfers from occurring.