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- Premier To Meet With Canada's Leading Economists
- Premier Rodney MacDonald and Finance Minister Michael Baker will meet today, Nov. 17, with economic forecasters from Canada's Banks as well as the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council (APEC) and the Conference Board of Canada. (More...)
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Premier's Speeches
Remarks by Premier Rodney MacDonald
Standing Up for Nova Scotia
March 30, 2007
Nova Scotians have earned respect from other Canadians as we’ve balanced our budgets, paid down debt, and diligently worked to grow our economy toward self-sufficiency. We are proud, hard-working Canadians.
But the respect we have built is now being attacked. The targets: our Constitutional right to equitable equalization and our legal right to the full benefit of our offshore resources.
In its budget delivered two weeks ago, the federal government said it was giving Nova Scotia two choices. The province could receive equalization based on a new formula in return for risking 100 per cent of our offshore revenue rights, or receive less equalization through the old formula, while retaining offshore revenues.
The federal government’s scenarios are not really choices, nor are they reasonable. As it was once said by Daniel O’Connell, the Irishman called The Liberator: “Nothing is politically right which is morally wrong.”
My government is prepared to take every step to make sure Nova Scotians’ voices are heard. We will make sure we are seen in the corridors of power in Ottawa. We will be seen on the main streets of our communities. We will fight for our rights.
As an equalization-receiving province, we are not wasting someone else’s dollars; we are investing in services and programs that are essential to Nova Scotians. Last week, my government introduced its sixth consecutive balanced budget. Our budget focuses on debt management and includes prudent investments in key programs and infrastructure, such as cancer care, IT infrastructure, education and health.
We’re able to provide for more long-term care beds for seniors in their community and relief for the farm sector. We are promoting healthy lifestyles, energy conservation, and protection of the environment.
And we’re keeping personal income taxes from rising.
But if my government had agreed to use the old equalization formula, entitlements to Nova Scotia would have been $77 million less than last fiscal year. Such a decline would have forced us to cut programs, raise taxes and jeopardize our competitiveness and future prosperity.
We can't have a discussion about future prosperity without understanding that our future must include Nova Scotia's offshore, which has always been about realizing our potential. Our offshore development is a tool to help us get over the wall that stands between status as an equalization-receiving province and status as a greater contributor to Canada’s prosperity and vibrancy.
That’s why my government won’t give up on Nova Scotia’s hard-won Offshore Accord. It's a legal, bi-lateral agreement.
The benefits of developing our offshore have always been intended to grow Nova Scotia’s economy. In fact, even today our offshore resource revenues are factored into Ottawa’s complex equalization formula. As Nova Scotia’s offshore does well, more benefits flow to all equalization-receiving provinces.
My government will stay focused on any and all measures that will help guide the province toward a more prosperous, self-sufficient New Nova Scotia that proudly contributes to Canada’s national and international success.
We must, and will, overcome the challenges that we are facing from Ottawa.
Equalization is a right under our Constitution.
And our Offshore Accord is a legal, bi-lateral right.
We will not lose our long-term focus: a Nova Scotia that ensures services for its citizens and keeps a promising future alive for our children and their children.