Now available – and FREE! A Hand Up or a Hand Out: Ideas on How to Improve Canada's Equalization Program, a brand new e-book compiled by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

Created in 1957 and entrenched in the Constitution in 1982, the Equalization program is a political football that many premiers, prime ministers and finance ministers have tossed about for decades. Many of them see it as an opportunity to score points; others don’t want it in their hands for fear of being tackled.

Proponents of the Equalization program claim it ensures vital public services are provided to economic disadvantaged areas of the country. Opponents claim it’s a national welfare program that hurts, not helps the economies of recipient provinces.

As we approach the re-negotiation of the formula (if there is to be a negotiation…) various ideas have been floated on how to shore up the program and make it more effective. We’ve gathered in this eBook the writings of a handful of individuals and groups, all who have made suggestions on how to improve the program. Some of the suggestions are differing degrees of re-jigging the program, with others calling for a complete overhaul of the system.

Some of these ideas were shared in a series that ran in the National Post. The compilation of articles contained within this eBook have largely been taken from that series, with some authors expanding on their pieces. Some numbers have been updated to reflect the most current data available.

This compilation of writing has been assembled by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, but it should be noted that each of the pieces contain the sole opinion of the writer and their affiliated organization. By agreeing to have their pieces be re-printed in this compilation, both the authors and the organizations make clear that they have not endorsed the ideas of other groups nor the efforts of any coalition. Indeed, not all authors in this compilation are members of the coalition.

It’s been said that fewer than a dozen people in Canada truly understand the Equalization program formula.

Contained within are the writings from some of those dozen. Hopefully their ideas will inspire you to reach out to the political leaders in your province and encourage them to work towards creating an Equalization program that truly benefits every corner of Canada.

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How to get our new e-book, A Hand Up or a Hand Out: Ideas on How to Improve Canada's Equalization Program

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