Equalization debate re-emerges ahead of finance ministers’ meeting in Ottawa
OTTAWA — Canada’s long-simmering internal debate over how the federal government divvies up equalization payments among the provinces is expected to flare up yet again this week when the country’s finance ministers get together for their twice-yearly gathering.
On the eve of Tuesday’s meeting in Ottawa, finance ministers from some so-called “have” provinces — those that don’t receive equalization payments, which are financed through federal tax revenue — say they very much intend to raise the issue, even though it’s not on the official agenda.
Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan and Alberta are all promising to press Finance Minister Bill Morneau and their other provincial counterparts for changes.
They could, however, be told that they’ll have to wait until 2024.