Premier Jason Kenney said he will put a referendum question on equalization before the Alberta legislature on Monday, with an eye toward a provincewide vote to coincide with the October municipal elections. The move to hold a referendum makes good on Kenney's promise dating back to the 2019 provincial election. He has railed against the equalization payments, arguing that provinces, specifically Quebec, are benefiting from the economic boon of oil development while trying to block it. "For millions of Albertans, equalization has become the most powerful symbol of the unfairness for Alberta's deal in confederation and for good reason," he said during a news conference Monday. Provinces with weaker economies receive transfer payments, while those with stronger economies, such as Alberta, do not.

Source: CBC News June 07, 2021 17:29 UTC