Here we go again...

[Kontiki]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi


Yes, hydroelectricity that they steal from Labrador.

WTF? Your ability to be categorically wrong never ceases to amaze.

[KrazyHorse]

I know. I guess he missed the part where Quebec paid Nfld for the rights to develop hydro in Labrador. Or the fact that most of our hydro from within the province.

[notyoueither]

http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-75-1750-11992/science_technology/hydro/clip5

• The federal government had the power to declare a corridor through Quebec for Newfoundland's power. But given the intended recipients — Americans — and the separatist sentiment in Quebec, Canada opted to stay out of the dispute.
• Newfoundland took Quebec to court over the issue. In 1984 the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that Newfoundland could not back out of the agreement.
...
• In 1996 Maclean's reported that Newfoundland received about $20 million annually by selling its power to Hydro-Québec. By exporting the same power to U.S. markets, Quebec earned about $800 million per year.
• The price of power in the agreement is not indexed to inflation. In 1976 Hydro-Québec was paying 0.3 cents per kilowatt hour for Churchill Falls power; in 1996 the rate was 0.27 cents. In 2016 it will drop again to 0.2 cents per kilowatt hour.
• In 1996, as premier Brian Tobin sought to renegotiate the agreement, even a former minister in the Quebec legislature seemed to think the deal was unfair. "The [agreement] had gone from 30 to 65 years. I couldn't believe it," Eric Kierens told CBC Radio's Peter Gzowski. "People don't take risks more than 20 or 30 years even on long term things ... That's how insane this thing was."
• The contract expires in 2041.

Pat yourselves on the back. You saw the Newfies coming, and you had them dead to rights.

It's sort of curious. I don't mind federal taxes going disproportionately to smaller economies. It's only fair. But then the formulae for equalisation are so complex that it is said very few people can actually figure them out. In any event, Quebec is receiving the lion's share.

And then there is this deal with Newfoundland. Is that fair?

[Asher]

It amazes me that with Quebec behaving like that, they have any right to ***** about having a share of Alberta's energy revenues...it seems like they love being able to steal from everyone around them, whilst whining in the process. It's quite an artform.

[notyoueither]

They don't get a share of the energy revenues.

The money leaving Alberta is in federal taxation, not of energy. We all pays our taxes, and then the feds send money back for health, education and welfare. Equalisation means that PEI will get $3 per person, Quebec $1.25, Ontario $0.95 and Alberta $0.85 (I'm making the numbers up).

The theory is we don't need it, and we don't. They do to allow them to get services to a level acceptable to all Canadians. The dispute is over whether Quebec really needs it. I would say the childcare program is an indication they do not.

[Asher]

I know, but some people there think the energy revenues should be federalized.

And given their refusal to renegotiate with NFLD about the hydro revenues, I think it's pretty sickening for them to be asking Alberta to federalize its energy revenues as well.

[notyoueither]

'People there'? Which people there? The only people I've heard make noises that could be aimed at the oil patch are in the government of Ontario.

[Ninot]

Again Asher, you are having trouble seperating the province from the politicians.

[Asher]

Oncle Boris was at least making allusions towards supporting it.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Ninot
Again Asher, you are having trouble seperating the province from the politicians.

Errr...we live in some form of a representative democracy.

The people of the province elect the politicians to represent their views and interests.

If the politicians you elect are not acting in the interest of your province, what does it say about the people dumb enough to elect them?

[Ninot]

and which political party thought up this grand redistribution scheme?

and which province gave that party the most political support?

[Asher]

I'm not talking about the NEP specifically.

And believe me, the Ontario voters are just as stupid as the Quebec voters. It's not a French/English thing.

Ontario votes federal parties in they know are corrupt, and Quebec votes federal parties in that don't want to be part of the federal system.

[Ninot]

Makes sense to me. Why would we want to be apart of a corrupt system?

Isn't Alberta feeling that same sentiment in some quarters? You included?

Ontario Sucks

[KrazyHorse]

You kids don't know ****.

[Ninot]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse


You kids don't know ****.

enlighten us Grandpa KH