Sending Equalization Payments to Ontario

Looks like Ontario joins the money draining provinces along with Quebec, Manitoba and the Maritimes. Ontario now on the dole

Ontario is now a province of haves and have-not.

As of today, the province is an official recipient of equalization payments for the first time in its history, joining other "have-not" provinces that receive monthly cheques from the federal government.

Yet just the day before, the province released its Sunshine List that shows 53,572 people who work in the Ontario public sector made more than $100,000 in 2008.

Overall, the list of publicly funded "haves" has once again grown much faster than Ontario's economy -- up 26% from last year. It's now almost double what it was in 2005 and includes 10% of the entire Ontario Public Service.

(...)

Ontario will also be the beneficiary of $347 million in equalization payments from the federal government this year to help the province offer public services that are comparable to other provinces in the federation.

No news yet if this has made a dent in province's "centre of the universe" smugness. Those hicks that they dismiss in the west are paying the bills.

Hat tip: Pat

Ontario a 'Have Not' Province

I never thought I'd see this in my lifetime.

Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced yesterday that for the first time in the history of the 51-year-old equalization program, Ontario will receive $347 million next year.

Its going to be hard to keep calling yourself Centre of the Universe, isn't it, now that you're welfare bums? Are Ontarioans finally going to start realizing that they have to move on from The Auto Pact? (And Liberal Federalism?)

Considering my Why Isn't Quebec an Independent Country post, I found this snippet interesting:

Of the total $14.2 billion in equalization payments to six Canadian provinces next year, Quebec alone will get $8.35 billion --59 per cent of the pot. By contrast, Ontario, Canada's largest province which generates 40 per cent of the national economy, will receive only $7 million more than Prince Edward Island.

But they elected a majority of seats every election since 1993 to a separatist party. For goodness sake, just leave already.