Stimulus, Anyone?
This is horrendously disturbing news. A government in power is doing the unspeakable; favouring its MPs' ridings in the dispensation of governing funding. How dare they! In a democratic country like Canada where corruption is virtually forbidden, and where voters expect their elected members of Parliament to scrupulously observe the niceties of neutrality in the larger interests of fairly representing all the citizens of Canada, wherever they live, this is untenable!
Off with their heads! Of course, it is quite inconvenient to look back not very far into the Chretien years, when a Liberal-led government did the very same thing, aggressively favouring the voters who had the good grace and high intelligence to vote in Liberal members of Parliament. It wasn't seen as effrontery then for Prime Minister Jean Chretien to boast: "Listen. We are the government. I don't see why we can't try to get credit for what we do."
But the Liberals are sanctimoniously livid with outrage. This is what, from time immemorial, it would seem, the 'victors' do. They reward those perspicacious enough to acknowledge their superiority, and install them into public office. Where they then, judiciously, pay homage to their supporters. It isn't particularly nice, but it is reality. And fairly universally practised.
Taxpayers have become accustomed to this kind of favouritism. Your bonus this time, someone else's next time around. For the moment, it would appear through research undertaken by the Ottawa Citizen and Halifax Chronicle-Herald, that 57% of big-ticket stimulus projects worth more than $1-million each in federal funding went to Conservative ridings, while the party holds 46% of House of Commons seats.
Lopsided arithmetic, to be sure. And, we are informed, the differential between opposition and government-held ridings in Quebec is particularly pronounced. There, Conservative-held ridings received 22% of large projects, whereas the party holds 13% of the seats. Yes, concerning. So are we troubled by all of this? Is this a lesson to Quebecers to get out there and vote Conservative if they'd like more of that cash flow?
Well, really, no need. Take Canada's once-proud equalization program, as an example of lop-sided government intervention in spreading largess. Equalization payments have grown from a total of $8.6-billion in 2003-04 to the present total of $14.8-billion. That's one whopping increase isn't it? But here's the kicker: Quebec alone receives $8.4-billion of that $14.8-billion total.
With roughly 24% of the Canadian population.
Off with their heads! Of course, it is quite inconvenient to look back not very far into the Chretien years, when a Liberal-led government did the very same thing, aggressively favouring the voters who had the good grace and high intelligence to vote in Liberal members of Parliament. It wasn't seen as effrontery then for Prime Minister Jean Chretien to boast: "Listen. We are the government. I don't see why we can't try to get credit for what we do."
But the Liberals are sanctimoniously livid with outrage. This is what, from time immemorial, it would seem, the 'victors' do. They reward those perspicacious enough to acknowledge their superiority, and install them into public office. Where they then, judiciously, pay homage to their supporters. It isn't particularly nice, but it is reality. And fairly universally practised.
Taxpayers have become accustomed to this kind of favouritism. Your bonus this time, someone else's next time around. For the moment, it would appear through research undertaken by the Ottawa Citizen and Halifax Chronicle-Herald, that 57% of big-ticket stimulus projects worth more than $1-million each in federal funding went to Conservative ridings, while the party holds 46% of House of Commons seats.
Lopsided arithmetic, to be sure. And, we are informed, the differential between opposition and government-held ridings in Quebec is particularly pronounced. There, Conservative-held ridings received 22% of large projects, whereas the party holds 13% of the seats. Yes, concerning. So are we troubled by all of this? Is this a lesson to Quebecers to get out there and vote Conservative if they'd like more of that cash flow?
Well, really, no need. Take Canada's once-proud equalization program, as an example of lop-sided government intervention in spreading largess. Equalization payments have grown from a total of $8.6-billion in 2003-04 to the present total of $14.8-billion. That's one whopping increase isn't it? But here's the kicker: Quebec alone receives $8.4-billion of that $14.8-billion total.
With roughly 24% of the Canadian population.
Labels: Canada, Government of Canada, Politics of Convenience
posted by Pieface | 6:36 PM
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