Quebec not showing national unity in pipeline debate

The following facts are taken from Government of Canada websites and are offered for public information: (numbers are rounded) Canadian population 35.2 million, Quebec population 8.2 million (represents 23 per cent of Canadian total), Canadian equalization payments for 2018 $19.3 billion, Quebec’s share $13.1 billion (68 per cent of Canadian total, does not include loans and subsidies to Bombardier), Canada public debt $1.4 trillion, Quebec’s share one-quarter trillion dollars on the basis of population.

Quebec generates in the area of $20 billion of revenue from Hydro Quebec (around $3 billion net income) which is a renewable resource.

Alberta has provided $227 billion of subsidy to Quebec through equalization payments over the last 15 year period.

Premier Lagault of Quebec was quoted saying “There is no social availability in Quebec to support dirty oil from Alberta” in spite of support from Premier David Higgs of New Brunswick and 43 per cent of Quebec citizens who would prefer that Eastern Canadian refineries would purchase Alberta crude instead of Saudi Arabian.

It becomes obvious from the above that Quebec politicians have learned to play the “Separatist Game” extremely well and that federal politicians have continually caved in to their demands to the detriment of the rest of Canada and particularly Albertans who have been blessed with non-renewable resources.

Perhaps we should call their bluff and let them go and take their one-quarter trillion share of the Canadian Net Debt with them.

Alberta could then utilize the monies that we provide as subsidies to design and build blimps with which we could then transport our oil over the borders of the insular and narrow thinkers in the provinces of Quebec and British Columbia.

We can always buy maple syrup from Ontario or Veristimont.

A disillusioned former federalist!

Ron Levagood