The following letter was published today. Father Maroun is concerned with the fact that politicians running in the federal election from Cape Breton, continue to ignore the equalization issue and are ignoring our constitutional rights under section 36. We have a right to like the rest of Canada without excessive taxation. Here is the letter: The residents of the CBRM have a right to know the truth and I have an obligation to the public to state it here. I have emailed MP candidates Mike Kelloway, Jaime Battiste, Allan MacMaster and Anna Manley to discuss the biggest problem facing Cape Breton. All have ignored that email. The lack of equalization flowing to this municipality is a major problem and the fact that the politicians just ignore it means that much-needed changes won’t result. The Constitution of Canada is clear on equalization. Every year the transfer grows to Nova Scotia by hundreds of millions of dollars and yet the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) still gets only $15 million and pays back $22 million. Equalization is 100 per cent a federal program and uses federal taxes to fund the transfers to receiving provinces. All one must do is travel to Halifax to see where the transfer to Nova Scotia is spent. If your candidates ignore this major problem, then they are causing the problem in my opinion. I have been trying to secure a meeting in Ottawa for over 30 years to discuss our rights to live equally in Canada without excessive taxation, but ignoring the topic has worked wonderfully for the political parties who continue to manipulate funding that is sent for a specific reason. CBRM council, local MPs and MLAs are not holding the parties accountable, and voters are also not holding them accountable at election time. I will be visiting your candidacy offices for Kelloway and Manley soon with some Nova Scotians for Equalization Fairness members to ask why you are ignoring this important issue. To the public, I ask you not to vote for any candidate who chooses to ignore the biggest problem we face here in the CBRM. The lack of funding and investment into our community has almost destroyed us and excessive taxation is causing more and more people to start worrying about losing their homes. Some residents might have their taxes capped but the young people who are building here do not have a cap. Ask them what they are paying in property taxes and get ready for a shock. Keeping us poor will generate more home ownership issues and any politician who will not talk about equalization does not deserve your vote. Party values should not be their priority. People should be. Rev. Dr. Albert Maroun, Sydney