Correction: “. . . the economic hit PQ would take?”
Another question is, what would those same calculations look like for, say for example, Alberta? It seems to me that these calculations confirm that Quebec takes more from the ROC than it gives, but I don’t know if any province’s financials would look the same if you took the ROC away.
A quick and dirty look says of Alberta’s 44.7 billion dollars in revenue (2013-14 forecast) 7.7 was from federal transfers.
Both of these are correct. While Equalization payments (which AB does not receive) are federal transfers not all federal transfers are equalization payments.
Federal transfers
That means that Quebec separating means a gross financial benefit to the ROC of more than 17.9 billion dollars next year or more than 25% of their budget.
Subtract a few bucks for the costs of right of passage for Canadians between the two sections of the country and just some rough calculations shows that the 27 million Canadians left would each get a discount off their taxes (or more likely our politicians would spend it) of about $500 bucks a year. If they take their share of the debt with them things look even better for us.
Can the ROC vote on Quebec separation?
I really don’t think they want that. 
That said, I honestly don’t think the ROC would vote Quebec out.
Breaking news - Alberta Premier Alison Redford announces that she is resigning as Premier of Alberta, effective Sunday. :eek:
Wow. I knew she was under pressure, but that’s unexpected. Who’s the heir apparent?
Aren’t you forgetting that the non-equalization transfers come out of the federal taxes paid by Quebec residents? We don’t get to keep taxing them if they separate.
That was indeed unexpected. All the troubles she’s had lately wouldn’t have even made former Premier Ralph Klein break a sweat! As for the heir apparent, I don’t really know. My inclination is towards Doug Horner, who is currently the President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Finance.
Ralph Klein never had the Wild Rose party to worry about. This is straight out of the Stelmach playbook - resign, get a new leader, promise change, win an election.
The CBC, as is its wont, increasingly, screwed up, unless it knows something we don’t.
She was disbarred? She unfrocked herself? In mixed company?
It’s been fixed; now reads:
The Law Society of Alberta web-site lists her status as: “Practising (Corporate/Government Counsel)”
Bingo. That and the effect of a presumably significantly diminished Quebec economy makes me wonder what the economic effect will be on the ROC. I don’t expect that it would be good.
Perhaps not as unexpected as it might seem on the surface. A $45,000 trip to South Africa (when she could have flown for free on the federal government’s tab) and a $16,000 two-day trip to Chicago and Toronto, have been rankling southern Albertans of my acquaintance.
With the exception of the city of Lethbridge itself, I’m in Wild Rose country. Most in the surrounding communities don’t like the Conservatives, mainly because they are not conservative enough; with social issues, yes, but also with tax dollars. No sense handing them yet another reason to not vote Conservative next time around. Or, as Raygun99 aptly summed it up: “This is straight out of the Stelmach playbook - resign, get a new leader, promise change, win an election.”
I think it is far too early to be able to predict whether it would be good or bad. Oh, I suppose we can speculate, but remember that we are three conditions away from such a scenario:
- Quebec must vote the PQ in to a majority government;
- The PQ must call a referendum (using a “clear question,” Clarity Act) on separation during their mandate; and
- Quebecers must vote “by a clear majority” (Reference re Quebec Separation) for separation.
I would suggest that as each condition is fulfilled (or not), we’ll be in a better position to speculate on the economic impact on the ROC. But right now, we’re not.
The more the campaign focuses on separation, the worse it is for the PQin the opinion polls.
So maybe there’s some hope that the electorate isn’t as delusional as the PQ candidates. Rick Mercer on the subject.
After two weeks of gentle melting in Regina, we woke up this morning to a heavy snowfall, still coming down.
Piper Cub looked out the window and said “I don’t get it.”
We said, “What don’t you get?”
Cub: “Today was supposed to be the first day of summer!”
Then he went back to bed and pulled the covers over his head.
Leafs fan on the ice! Leafs fan on the ice!
http://blogs.canoe.ca/slam/hockey/leafs-fan-on-the-ice-leafs-fan-on-the-ice/
Could this be someone we know…
Agreed. It wasn’t like it was just out-of-the-blue. As I mentioned earlier, I’m more used to the Klein style of premiering - let all the scandals just roll off your back.
So, if Quebecers don’t want to separate, and the ROC don’t want Quebec to separate, why does this continue to be an issue?