The two times Quebec voted on separation from Canada, I had mixed feelings.

I could see the logic. And pondered whether, ultimately, both Quebec and R.O.C. (Rest Of Canada) might be better off.

Neither vote passed.

Today Quebec manages to convince the rest of Canada that they are a “have not” Province. That Québécois should be subsided by the rich Provinces.

How is that?

The Québécois friends in my industry are better off than Albertans, and have always been better off.

Here’s a brilliant article, I think, on the issue of Equalization payments.

As you’ve likely heard, Greece is “too big to fail”. The rest of the EU has decided to bail them out.

In Greece, citizens, on average, retire at the age of 58.

In Germany, the citizens expected to help bail out the bankrupt Greeks, work on average until until the age of 65. Naturally, German citizens are wondering how this can be considered fair. Why should they work seven years longer on average so Greek citizens can live a life of leisure and be less productive?

What’s more, in Germany, most working people pay taxes. In Greece, only 20 per cent pay taxes. Again, unfair. And yet equalization between “have” European Union states and “have not” European Union states continues, even though it’s not making things equal — it’s rewarding laziness, leisure and possibly even criminal tax evasion. Why pay taxes if some hard-working Germans will do it for you? Thus the riots in Greece. They believe they are entitled to those entitlements.

Dysfunctional? You bet. We Canadians would never stand for such a thing. Right? Think again.

Equalization in Canada was established to ensure that “have-not” regions could enjoy the same programs as “have” regions and most Canadians wouldn’t quibble with that. But that has not happened. In fact, the reverse has occurred. The have provinces have fewer services than the have-nots.

According to a Dec. 2009 report by the Institute of Statistics of Quebec, Quebecers average age of retirement is 62 whereas in the rest of Canada it is almost 65. While the Quebec Pension Plan and Canada Pension Plans are identical and carry the same penalties for collecting your pension earlier than 65, those who stop working earlier are less productive and contribute less to Canadian society in terms of income and taxes.

In light of the fact that Quebec received $8.6 billion in equalization payments in 2010-11 out of a total equalization pot of $14.4 billion, it’s safe to say that citizens in Canada’s “have” provinces — British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario — are paying for Quebecers’ early retirement, as theirs is the only province which has such a generous, early retirement benefit.

In other words, equalization is not very equal. …

Calgary Herald – Corbella: It’s all Greek to Quebec

Licia Corbella has worked for daily newspapers for more than 20 years and is currently the Calgary Herald’s Editorial Page Editor. …

What’s the solution?

Cancel equalization payments, Canada. Or separate from Quebec.

related – Equalization payments in Canada

So says Craig Jones, executive director of the John Howard Society regarding the Canadian prison system.

Why is the Harper government taking millions more dollars out of our pockets in times of massive deficit?

… expenditures for the coming fiscal year will increase 43 per cent, to $329.4 million in 2010-2011, from $230.8 million in 2009-2010 …

Calgary Herald

If the Americans have taught us anything, it’s that longer prison sentences don’t work in reducing crime.

The best moment in the movie Sicko was the scene showing that the vile terrorists get better Health Care in Guantanamo Bay than survivors of the American families victimized. The health personnel-to-detainee ratio is 1 to 4 there.

Perhaps Harper should look more closely at the Mexican prison system. In Mexico prisoners are expected to pay for their own cost of incarceration. Work camps are a far better deterrent than free dental.

prp