Calvert demands Conservative MPs stand up for Sask. position on equalization
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/05/2007 (6768 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
REGINA (CP) – Saskatchewan’s premier demanded Friday that the province’s 12 Conservative MPs stand up to the federal finance minister on the issue of equalization.
Lorne Calvert was referring to reports, published earlier this week, which suggested Conservative MPs in Atlantic Canada are taking a stand within their own party on the issue.
Calvert is also angry that Finance Minister Jim Flaherty travelled to Nova Scotia this week to talk about that province’s concerns about equalization.
Calvert said he has heard nothing back from a letter he wrote to the prime minister calling for a side deal that would protect Saskatchewan’s oil resources, similar to the one in place in Atlantic Canada.
“I have not heard one word from the prime minister, from the minister of finance federal, or from the Conservative MPs in Saskatchewan except for them going around eating doughnuts and trying to (defend) a broken promise,” Calvert said.
Calvert’s doughnut reference was a shot at Palliser MP Dave Batters, who shut down a scrum with reporters to hit the snack table at a Regina event.
“I’m calling on our 12 MPs, who are supposed to be representing this province, who you would think would have some conscience about breaking their promise to the people of Saskatchewan – to stand up today in Ottawa and demand that their minister of finance take account of a broken promise to the people of Saskatchewan.”
During the last election the Conservatives promised to remove non-renewable resource revenue from the formula used to calculate equalization payments to poorer provinces. It’s a change that Saskatchewan says would net the province an extra $800 million annually in transfers from Ottawa.
The Conservatives gave the provinces that option in the spring budget, but capped the payouts.
That angered Calvert, as well as the Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia governments.
But Gerry Ritz, the MP for Battlefords Lloydminster, said Saskatchewan is getting an extra $880 million when you total all the new money coming to the province in the budget.
He said he doesn’t think equalization is an issue for voters.
“I’m not getting asked about equalization on any level,” he said. “I’m happy to go to the polls today or tomorrow on it.”