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Lorne Gunter: Poll finds many Canadians misunderstand equalization

It struck me as funny that after nearly 60 years of elite kowtowing to Quebec and scoffing at Alberta, more ordinary Canadians would rather we stay than Quebec.

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According to a survey by the Angus Reid Institute, Canadians outside Alberta and Quebec want both provinces to remain in Confederation.

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“The vast majority of the country has little interest in losing either province. Seven-in-10 say if they had a vote, they would block Quebec from leaving (71 per cent) while four-in-five (79 per cent) would do the same to Alberta.”

These totals made me chuckle. Canadians outside the two provinces want both to remain part of Canada. Overwhelmingly. But they want Alberta to remain even more than they want Quebec to — 79 per cent to 71 per cent.

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Why does this result give me a smile? Because all my life, even before I was an adult, central Canadian media, politicians and academics — the so-called Laurentian elite — have quivered at any mention of separation by Quebec.

You want more money? Here it is. More power over your own affairs? Happy to oblige. Special constitutional status? No problem. Just please, please, please don’t go.

No Quebec demand has ever been too great. No threat ever seen as disloyal.

Meanwhile, every time Alberta suggested equalization payments were unfair. Or immigration should have greater provincial input (as it does in Quebec). Or the province should have the same kind of input into federal judicial appointments Quebec already enjoys.

Well, coming from Alberta, that has been seen too much. The province should be ashamed for asking. Its attitude is entirely disloyal to Canadian ideals.

So it struck me as funny that after nearly 60 years of elite kowtowing to Quebec and scoffing at Alberta, more ordinary Canadians would rather we stay than Quebec.

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Notably, the survey found, Quebecers are much more likely to want to block Alberta separatism than the other way around — 72 per cent to 58 per cent.

Albertans would not be happy to see Quebec go. At the same time, fewer Albertans would have their hearts broken if Quebec did.

Canadians outside of Alberta and outside of Quebec seem to understand the disproportionate fiscal contribution Alberta makes to the country. To the pollsters’ question, “Are there any provinces you believe receive more than they give as part of Confederation,” only Quebecers thought Alberta was a net recipient. Fifty-nine per cent of Quebecers thought Alberta received more than it contributed, exceeded only by Saskatchewan (68 per cent).

The province Quebecers felt got the rawest deal from Confederation? Their own, of course. Only 22 per cent of Quebecers believe Quebec receives more than it pays into the country, despite Quebec being far and away the largest recipient of federal transfers. Far and away.

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For instance, of the $26.3 billion Ottawa will pay out this year to the “have-not” provinces, nearly 53 per cent ($13.6 billion) will go to Quebec. Of $108.4 billion in total transfers this year (including health, education and social services), $30.2 billion (28 per cent) will go to Quebec despite it having less than 22 per cent of the national population.

Yet, Quebecers live under the delusion that somehow their province is being ripped off by the rest of the country. No wonder the argument that they should allow pipelines across their territory in return for all the money they receive falls on deaf ears. They don’t actually believe they are receiving that much.

The perception of Alberta’s contribution is not great elsewhere, except in the West. A plurality of Ontarians (37 per cent) believe Alberta receives more than it contributes, while an equal percentage think we give more than we receive.

Not surprisingly, only 15 per cent of Ontarians believe their province receives more than it gets, while 25 per cent believe Ontario is a net contributor.

There may be a great desire in the rest of the country to see Alberta stay, but with such a distorted perception of our contribution, will the centre make the changes needed to convince us to remain?

lgunter@postmedia.com

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