http://www.cbc.ca/canada/saska.....hewan.html

Spoken like a true Edmontonian.

Perhaps if you spent a little less time with your buddies on U of A campus you’d realize that the only thing keeping most southern Albertan rural and urban communities afloat are the jobs and revenue being brought in by the oil and gas industry. Just like the rest of Alberta. I don’t know what ideology has to do with any of it.

“Is it possible the North of Alberta is being raped by the South, with huge amounts of money being diverted from needed infrastructure projects there, to ungrateful residents in the South who are doing little to support the industry?”

Uh no. I don’t know what grand infrastructure projects in southern Alberta you’re talking about. Last time I checked the nicest black top, such as the swanky new ring road around Edmonton, seem to be clustered around the capital region. That highway through Westlock is not too shabby either. How about the close to $1 billion the government has committeed towards twinning Hwy 63 to Ft. McMurray? Compare this to much of the infrastrucure south of Red Deer which is crumbling into oblivion.

“Consider the environmental and social consequenses that will impact the northern part of the province, and what percentage revenues are being distributed back into those areas. Then shut up and pay your taxes, which are the lowest in the country.”

What is your point? None of us are getting the taxes back we pay in. Which, I think was the point in the first place. And as far as the environmental consequences, last time I checked, it wasn’t an army of engineers from Foremost and Oyen who were ripping apart the tar sands. How that is the south’s fault is beyond me. I’m also at a loss to see how paying more taxes is going to fix any of this.

Methinks you protest too much.

Amen. The premiers of these provinces carry as much authority as the mayor of Red Deer.

This is beside the point: provinces aren’t as accountable as they should be for the monies they spend; the feds are more than happy to over-tax Canadians for their national programs that aren’t even part of their constitutional jurisdiction.

As it stands now, if the provincial legislatures in the Maritimes, or any province for that matter, were responsible for the bulk, if not entirety, of income tax paid out every year, they would have a little more clout in their dealings with the federal government. As it stands now, the feds have far too much leverage with their spending power, willing to interfere far to readily where they don’t belong.

And this seems to be the elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about, provincially or federally, whenever debates over transfer payments arise.

That’s crap – most are from Saskatchewan. Thanks for playing though.

Is it possible the North of Alberta is being raped by the South, with huge amounts of money being diverted from needed infrastructure projects there, to ungrateful residents in the South who are doing little to support the industry?

Consider the environmental and social consequenses that will impact the northern part of the province, and what percentage revenues are being distributed back into those areas. Then shut up and pay your taxes, which are the lowest in the country.

‘Most Alberta taxpayers ARE FROM THE MARITIMES YOU BONEHEAD! Maritimers built your Province, you ungrateful lout.’

Apparently Alberta didn’t begin to grow until Maritimers went West for the boom!

Just an observation from Ontario.

No one that I know thinks that they get value for their taxes and for the most part believe in what PJ O’Rourke said: “Giving government money and power is like giving car keys and whiskey to a teenage boy”.

Expand your audience to include Albertans not on the alumni list of the U of L and the U of C and you may find a wider variety of responses.

Most would be happy to pay more taxes if there was more re-investment in sustainable industries, and less investment and tax breaks for multinational oil/gas companies.

You’d be in the minority, I assume.

As an Alberta born Canadian who spent the more than 30 years in the province I feel my opinion counts at least a bit, I would like to note that the Albertans I speak to are fairly satisfied with their current Federal tax contributions. Most would be happy to pay more taxes if there was more re-investment in sustainable industries, and less investment and tax breaks for multinational oil/gas companies.

It’s time to push the federal government back to its own turf, delegitimating its gross over-taxation of Canadians, expecting provinces to make the most of their own taxation powers for their own jurisdiction. Canadians would get more responsive government if provinces provided what they were intended to provide; more local, more readily accountable government.