Dear Editor,
The provincial and territorial leaders have been much in the news over the past few days with their perennial complaints (it never stops) about the amount of federal funding into local health care costs.
But it is not as “simple” as just dollars, there is also the federal taxing areas earlier transferred from the federal government to the provinces.
BC Premier John Horgan, as the Chair of the Council of the Federation, says that the federal government should “sit down like adults” and discuss the issue. He really means, send more money, without conditions.
The double speak is breathtaking. The so-called “have provinces,” including BC, Ontario and Alberta, are effectively saying to the feds “tax us more so that you can return less back to us.”
There is only one taxpayer, whether paying to the feds or the province. If the have provinces want more money for health care, get it from their own budgets without hiding behind the feds taxing levels.
A discussion among adults would actually require adults on both sides. Maybe too much to hope for!
Ian C. MacLeod
RICHMOND
