38th Parliament, 1st Session
(October 4, 2004 - )

[Parliamentary Coat-of-Arms]

Edited Hansard • Number 061

Monday, February 21, 2005

 

STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Hansard Page 3748

Equalization Program

 

    Mr. Garry Breitkreuz ( Yorkton —Melville, CPC): Madam Speaker, a remarkable consensus was reached in Saskatchewan on Friday.

    Political leaders from four different parties agreed to press the federal government to implement the 10 province standard for equalization in Canada , which was a key factor in the Conservative election platform.

    The premier of Saskatchewan , the provincial leader of the opposition, seven Conservative MPs and the leader of the provincial Liberal Party all agreed that the people of Saskatchewan deserve an equalization deal that has the same terms as those provided for in the Atlantic accord. In particular, non-renewable resources should not be included in calculating transfers to the provinces.

    We urge the finance minister, who is a Saskatchewan MP, to stand up for his home province and deliver a fair deal for the people of Saskatchewan . What possible excuse can the member for Wascana give for not treating all provinces equally under a program that is supposed to be a national program?

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