Feds Provinces Examine Fiscal Future

From the Toronto Star - Harper and Premieres are too meet to commence discussions on transfer payments to the provinces.

IMO, this is the singular most important issue for prosperity of the provinces and of Canada.

If the feds dry up taxes paid to the federal government this will put more fiscal responsibility on the provinces for provided services.

Ontario will have less excuse to blame the feds but themselves for their own fiscal mismanagement. This will make them more accountable to Ontarians and make the government more respectful of the Ontario Auditor's reports - in particular the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.

I was supportive in the past of measures that had strings attached for accountability before the feds to gave money to the provinces for health care funding. But having more information that has, so far, been simply explained by the media and from educating myself I now see that it is better to have the provinces take care of their own finances in the area they are responsible for under the Constitution, which, hopefully allow closer scrutiny by the public - and supposedly - Ontario's media.

What I hope other provinces will do, like Quebec or Alberta, is to pressure the Ontario government to do their homework and make sure they have clearly and thoroughly examined what amount Ontario is short on transfer payments.

It would be typical of Ontario politics - lack of thorough investigation and data to support their claims that effect their policies. You have to wonder if that is because the bureaucracies don't have the expertise or insight to do their jobs thoroughly and professionally.