Just the way I see it.: I cannot believe I have to say this about Equalization Transfers!!! Weekly Rant 15 Mar, 2025

Getting a head start on next week's Rant, so grab a drink before reading LOL.

Check out this post. My sister could have made it, but she refuses to be on FaceBook; whereas someone locally has made this post (in part).

In it, she stated:

"The liberals are trying to do away with the oil and gas in Alberta, and, forgetting that Alberta and Saskatchewan are sending millions east in transfer payments."

[copy/pasted] Font is mine. Called "Homemade Apple"

Really? Liberals want to get rid of Alberta's Oil/Gas? What about all that oil/gas off the East Coast? Get rid of all that too? Seriously?

Can I see the documents stating so? Links please?

Transfer of Payments? What kind? From who to whom?

Y'see, what I learned in school about Canada's government, was that the taxes that the Feds collect from every citizen and Corporation ends up in a General Revenue ledger, along with all other "profits" the government may collect (think border taxes, port fees, etc). One big happy account. From there, payments are doled out as required to perform the duties of Canada's Government. Nothing political about this at all. It is a fact!

You know folks, this is actually is enshrined in our Constitution! It rally states that the government is "committed to the principle of making equalization payments".

Kinda tough to get around that, eh?

Methinks Albertans have a thin skin.

Equalization Payments is just one that come out of General Expenses from the main account, as dictated by the formula.

THEN, now read this carefully, THEN, and only then, does the Government dole out a certain amount of money from that General Account to Provinces that have difficulty attaining the same standard of living as the rich Provinces enjoy.

They utilize an agreed-upon calculation formula to dispense funding to each Province based upon their needs - compared to all the other Provinces.

So now, you truckers that want to separate, listen closely.
Transfers of Payments for this money only flows ONE-WAY - from Ottawa to the Provinces.

Not ONE Province Pays a Transfer Payment/Fee to the Federal Government.

Not One!!!

What Albertans pay as Federal Taxes has no impart upon the Provincial Government, because, the Provincial Government has NOTHING to do with this taxation money other than when ministers/Premiers/Provincial Financial Ministers get together in Ottawa to discuss this formula.

And even then, it is a National-level discussion, and not a Provincial one.

Sit down, Governor Smith!

This is a falsity that was made up by the Alberta Conservatives to create an excuse to start unwinding Alberta's connections to the rest of Canada. Think of the GOP's lies to start off their latest campaign...

Taking the CPP back to Alberta - asking for over half the Federal total amount is kind of over-reaching, don't you think? The napkin-math just does NOT add up.

But, IF Alberta did get their hands on these funds, you may have to kiss your retirement funds goodbye, because they will simply absorb the funds into their own Investment Managers Portfolio - famous for losing vast amounts of money in it's charge. Run by a friend of the Premier and previous Premier(s). And I'll bet the fund will perform "poorly", creating less and less available funds for retiring Albertans.

But, somehow, the elite keep on getting richer and richer, including all those in Power. Hmmmm, I'm thinking creative book-keeping. There is no Federal Government around any more to keep us honest, so...why not, right?

It is something that is also happening in the USA, although much faster rate than is hapening here in Alberta.

Has no one noticed how the UCP have started removing our "rights" to Federal funding, Municipal Election autonomy, Insurance choices, and now, under the radar, the UCP is once again trying to get Coal Mining in the foothills of Alberta a real thing again.

Why?
When we have gas/oil aplenty?

Again, it's the money thing. Just like sTrump, I'm waiting for Governor Smith to say "We're just trying to make Alberta great again, get everyone richer and make things better than ever.

Pleeeeze - tell your lies to someone else, "Governor Smith".

Oh - Didja know that some Americans consider Alberta a "Red State"??? However, when metrics are compared, Alberta is "hardly a Red State", according to the numbers.
Quite interesting, really. A good, short read. [Link at bottom]

Seriously! In reality, Alberta is a group of Red-State pussy-wannabe's.

I'd say that is sick, but is the truth really ever "sick"???

But no one seems to give a damned. You want change? Then make it a change for the betterment of ALL Citizens, not just the ones with get-rich-quick schemes, and those wanting to take Alberta back to the 1950's:

Poorer Education (for the masses, that is, unless you are rich, then you get to go to a private school with all the best teachers, equipment, etc),

Poorer Healthcare,

Poorer Policing,

Rampant Misogyny,

Rampant Bigotry, religious persecution, (for non-Christians)

Only one religion, and that has it hooks deep into the Government agencies to ensure their agenda for a "better" Alberta meets the Bible's rules.

That is the beauty of Confederation. We share, and share alike. No grubby "it's mine" sort of folks allowed here.

Except for Alberta.

Alberta seems hell bent on taking it's toys and going somewhere else to play.

Odds are, Alberta would end up part of Montana or Washington.
Whatever.
You deserve it, then.

Let unwonted gun deaths, Fentanyl deaths, Gang Wars, daily street shootings and car thefts help offset your newfound broader "freedoms".

JMHO, as always. Remember, opinions are based upon experience with other facts related to the issue. That's MY dog house!!!

And for those of you looking for balance reporting, may I suggest an online news site that offers all 3 viewpoints (politically) when presenting articles on the same subject. I'm talking about Ground News. I make no money off this link, so shaddup, losers! It's a fantastic tool for sorting out your news!

You have the chance to read what the Left, Center and Right balanced newspaper reports, and how Ground News sorts these out for you to better understand the entire story.

Ground also offers a host of other tools to get a better feel for what is really happening around the world. For example, if a Right and a Left newspaper reported the exact same thing, then one could suppose the information is true, without slanting opinions.

But if one is wildly out to lunch, it is readily proven to be "other" than mainstream reporting.

Give it a check. Ground.news/!
Yes, it costs under $4/month, but they have to do a lot of work to sort out all the news articles, read them, rate them discuss them and then post the whole shebang onto their website, so yes, it'll cost a few pennies.

No DOGE coins, if you please!

As always,

Peace

Edwin
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