Halifax is keeping all the province's money while towns die in NS

Dr. Albert Maroun Follow Me

Posted this 2017-12-12 12:11 PM AST (updated 2018-02-28 3:21 PM AST)

Halifax will receive $1.779 Billion this year from Ottawa in the form of an Equalization payment.

It is supposed to be distributed to the various towns and municipalities in the province but instead they will take only $32 million and divide that amount up to all towns and municipalities combined and then keep the rest in Halifax. That means Halifax will keep $1.747 Billion for themselves.

This has been going on for years and it is time it stops. Halifax is growing a record speed, faster than most big cities in Canada.

All other towns and municipalities in Nova Scotia are almost bankrupt. Help us please…..Email us to get involved at [email protected] and will send you a return email with ways you can help.

For more detailed information, please visit our website HERE

Posted by Dr. Albert Maroun
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Alex Sample Follow Me 2017-12-12 2:46 PM AST Reply 1 0 Well halifax have to build a football field for some rich people who want to own a C.F.L. team. Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-12 3:47 PM AST Reply 3 0 Very true Alex. We might get even less money then. They are shorting us over $140 million a year now. We need people to protest soon, if your interested.
Nigel Kearns Follow Me 2017-12-12 2:56 PM AST Reply 2 0 At the risk of sounding naive, this both annoys and baffles the **** out of me. If there is a formula that determines these payments, follow it! End of story.
Bill Fiander Follow Me 2017-12-12 3:54 PM AST Reply 4 0 Mary Campbell wrote a very in depth piece on equalization unfairness this pass spring. In it she includes a formula. https://capebretonspectator.com/2017/05/17/equalization-cbrm-election-issue/
Bill Fiander Follow Me 2017-12-12 3:55 PM AST Reply 0 0 https://capebreton.lokol.me/equalization-payments-1
Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-12 3:55 PM AST Reply 5 0 Most people think this went to court in the past but in the Charter for the Province of Nova Scotia, there is a rule that a town or municipality can not sue the Provincial capital. That was why they said the case "Had no merit" but it still does not make it right. Why should Halifax be the fastest growing city in Canada and the rest of Nova Scotia be suffering so badly. Her in CBRM we are quoted as "having the best undeveloped sea port on the eastern seaboard" and we are closer to the St. Lawrence Seaway. Why has there been no development here in decades. It is time to stand up Cape Breton and fight for our fair share or break away from the province.......Enough is enough Lisa MacIntyre Follow Me 2018-02-19 9:14 AM AST Reply 2 0 A town or a municipality may not be able to sue a provincial capital but many individuals can. That number could be only a few or it could be in the thousands. Possible loophole? I don’t know all the in’s and out’s of it enough to know for sure if that is a possibility. Might be worth a try.
Joe Ward Follow Me 2017-12-12 3:55 PM AST Reply 3 0 Council will have to decide, this evening, whether or not we can afford to commit to $100,000 a year for the New Dawn Centre For Social Innovation, thereby benefitting from ~$12 Million in investment in our downtown area of Sydney. At present, CBRM staff's recommendation on the request is basically: "We can't afford it" I've heard estimates of the proposed equalization shortchange ranging from $10 Million a year up to the $140 Million Dr. Maroun is estimating below. One thing is for sure: If there are additional Federal resources that are earmarked for us (formula based), they certainly need to make their way here to the CBRM - and to other Nova Scotia municipalities to whom they are due. Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-12 4:07 PM AST Reply 2 0 Thanks Joe. Why is Cecil Clarke not fighting for our fair share then. If the Government of Canada is sending Halifax the money but they are not passing it on to us, then why are the politicians not fighting for us. How can Cecil, Mark Eyking, Roger Cuzner, etc, etc look us in the eyes. Wow. Get to work public servants. Joe Ward Follow Me 2017-12-12 4:10 PM AST Reply 3 0 Very good, point. I'm curious why Eyking and/or Cuzner (as Federal representatives) couldn't provide an official written explanation of the Federal intent of the equalization program, and whether or not they feel that the municipalities they represent are getting the full share of resources Canadian taxpayers intended for us from the province. Have they ever weighed in on this matter?
Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-13 10:09 AM AST Reply 4 0 I was at the council meeting last night for the funding for New Dawn. I was so angry and I just wanted to stand up and scream " what are you all doing talking about the nickles and dimes here. $100,000 is peanuts compared to the hundreds of millions we are being shorted here in Cape Breton". It is sad that we, in Cape Breton, can't get anything in the lines of growth. Halifax is considering a new CFL franchise and there is so much growth up there and we can not get the simplest things done here on the Island. When are people going to wake up and see the bigger picture......We are being denied what we are entitled to and it is time to stand up and demand fairness.
Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-13 10:45 AM AST Reply 2 0 Hi Evie: You can google Equalization Transfers and you will see a Government page that states what each province will get from this program. Nova Scotia this year will receive $1.779 billion. If you go to the Department of Municipal Affairs site for Nova Scotia, you will see that CBRM will receive $15,335,838 from the Equalization money. The total (including CBRM) to the rest of the province will total $32 million. The simple math will tell us that Halifax will keep the rest in their General Revenue Account and this amount will be $1.747 billion. Keep in mind that we are only talking about Equalization Money. There are many other transfers from Ottawa to the Provinces as well. On the equalization Fairness board, we have a few "numbers" people and I would be happy to have you speak to one. J.R. MacDonald is a whiz at the numbers and I would be glad to have him contact you. Thank you for the good question. The board has been reviewing the numbers for over 10 years and finally, someone asked about them. Ian Campbell Follow Me 2017-12-13 12:30 PM AST Reply 0 0 This just isn't true; your conclusions are based on the assumption that the entirety of the equalization payment (1.779 Billion) is distributed to the munipal governments (towns, cities, municipalities) of Nova Scotia. The equalization payment goes to the Provincial Government which is based in Halifax, not the city of Halifax. Examining the same Department of Municipal Affairs site your cited shows the city of Halifax received $0 in equalization payments. Here's the link to the document in question: https://novascotia.ca/dma/pdf/2016-Historical_Equalization_Comparison.pdf This 1.747 billion dollar 'surplus' is in the provincial government's coffers and it pays for our healthcare, roads and schools. The idea that it goes to the city of Halifax, whose entire annual budget is 1.874 billion, is ludicrous. How you have presented equalization payments in in no way accurate and your assumptions as to what happens to the 'rest' is so far off the mark it makes me angry. Angry enough to create an account on this website just so I could respond to your false claims. Federal equalization payments to have-not provinces is to support healthcare, roads, schools and other PROVINCIAL programs so all provinces can provide (albeit imperfectly) an equal quality and level of services to its residents. Inequality of resources may very well be an issue and one that should be addressed; we're all tax payers and we all deserve our fair share. However your outrageous claims of inequality are egregious and downright wrong. Most Cape Bretoners have enough common sense to check the facts for themselves and see the load of BS you've posted. For the rest I hope they learn something from your example. Joe Ward Follow Me 2017-12-13 12:37 PM AST Reply 2 0 This is an interesting perspective, Ian. I've often wondered how the province's other expenditures factor in. I'm curious if there is any way to see the total that the government spends in a region like Cape Breton, on a per capita basis, to see how closely the numbers might work out relative to other areas of the province. Ian Campbell Follow Me 2017-12-13 12:55 PM AST Reply 0 0 Wow! I think it would be a tricky thing to determine because of the sheer number of variables and factors to consider. Age is probably the biggest factor when it comes to government spending, which isn't directly related to location. But there are cetainly areas of the province with older populations than others and that might skew any determination of dollars spent per person. Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-13 2:11 PM AST Reply 2 0 Our tax rates have gone up and our infrastructure has gone down and this is what the Equalization was intended for. The fact is that Cape Breton pays a higher tax rate than Halifax is ludicrous as we have nothing here anymore. Health care money has nothing to do with the Equalization Payment. That is a separate transfer. The fact is that the province will receive 1.8 billion and CBRM will receive just over 15 million. Ian Campbell Follow Me 2017-12-13 3:24 PM AST Reply 0 0 Let's be clear, CBRM receives 15 million dollars in equalization payments from a municipal grant program issued by the NS government which is a portion of the equilization payment the province receives from the Federal government. CBRM receives roughly 50% of this grant funding, other smaller towns and munipalities in the province receive the remainder. The remaining 1.747 billion goes to other programs and services in Nova Scotia. Do the residents of CBRM or Cape Breton as a whole not have access to these programs and services? CBRM is receiving a big chunk of that pie, 50% in fact. As to whether or not that pie needs to be bigger than it's current form of 32 million dollars? That should be looked at, but not without regard to the other services and programs that it would be taking away from. Elighten me, what services should be cut, or what municipalities should receive less so that CBRM can receive more? I find your article's title misleading and inciteful; you won't win me over to your side with sensationlist claims and BS math. If there is a solid case for CBRM receiving more grant money, that is wonderful. But the money isn't going to magically appear, it's going to be taken away from somewhere else so you had better be damned sure your case is more urgent than the line up of everyone else trying to get their fair share. Bill Fiander Follow Me 2017-12-13 3:33 PM AST Reply 2 0 If this is so clear as this, then why all the dramatics from the provincial liberal party while not in power to have the auditor general take a look at these payments, but when they formed the government didn't fulfill this promise? Why has this been a political football for a lot of years. Why didn't the provincial supreme court at least hear Mayor Morgan's argument instead of stating he had no standing. You would think if it was so clearly defined and fair the province would want to put this to rest once and for all. Charles Sampson Follow Me 2017-12-14 7:31 PM AST Reply 4 0 Ian, if the federally provided 26% of the $1.77 billion was distributed to the eligible municipalities, they would get more - not less. An audit would show that $32 million is not the $460 million the Feds fund for municipalities in trouble financially. Martha Ross Follow Me 2017-12-14 7:54 PM AST Reply 1 0 Thanks Charles for pointing this out,this is the facts,people are catching on....... Susan Whitaker Follow Me 2017-12-25 8:27 AM AST Reply 1 0 I read your comment (and others) with interest and my conclusion is the provincial govt gives us what they think we need. They ignore the rules which are supposed to dictate how much we really should get. Then they pass out grants and they say to us ' Now beg for the rest and if your lucky we will come to you make grand announcements take a few pictures sure up a few more votes and we will throw you some crumbs from what you should have gotten in the first place.' Is that it. Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-27 10:47 AM AST Reply 2 0 Hi Susan. That is exactly what they do. We (NSEF Group) have sent many letters to the powers in Ottawa regarding this political injustice and political thief. We know that it will take major demonstrations (but peaceful) to show Ottawa that we are not taking this anymore. All the politicians involved will look pretty stupid for ignoring us. We are the people and the government works for us and it is high time they start realizing that. Their agenda should be our agenda. Somewhere down the line, that changed. Tell all your friends about this and together we will make change happen. Thanks for your comment Bill Fiander Follow Me 2017-12-13 2:21 PM AST Reply 3 0 From Mary Campbell's piece this past spring regarding equalization and how much CBRM should be getting based on a formula: "Under the province’s Municipal Grants Act (S.8, s.19A): The grants are calculated using a formula that measures: municipal need — by developing standard expenditures per dwelling unit for certain municipal services for the various classes of municipalities; and the ability of municipalities to fund their need — by calculating a “uniform assessment” for each municipality, which is the total taxable assessment plus the capitalized value of grants-in-lieu of taxation from the province, the federal government, and Aliant. Under this formula, the CBRM is entitled, on average, to 50% of all equalization grants each year (I say that not by way of boast)."
Lloyd Allan MacPherson Follow Me 2017-12-13 1:03 PM AST Reply 1 0 http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/senator-dan-christmas-cape-breton-independence-lecture-1.4386915 Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-14 2:32 PM AST Reply 1 0 Hey Lloyd. Did you see the Cape Breton Post letter to the editor today? There is a article there that says we should become our own country. It is a good read..... Lloyd Allan MacPherson Follow Me 2017-12-14 4:39 PM AST Reply 0 0 Although the prospect of any small region becoming its own country certainly piques my interest, I've been concentrating on more stable platforms of municipal development (mainly the arts community and businesses/organisations unifying to tackle economic problems) through cooperative models of production, Fr. Maroun. I've been developing one specifically through the Global Catholic Climate Movement's animator program. The platform fills a need - especially one locally. Charles Sampson Follow Me 2017-12-15 1:17 PM AST Reply 0 0 Dr. Maroun, this letter expands on Sen. Christmas’ suggestion and it would likely be more possible to achieve if the “clear majority” (whatever that means) of Cape Bretoners vote for it in a referendum. We would then find out if we live in a “free” country. That this Equalization fraud is continuing and it is leading to such discussions is an indication of the seriousness economically this municipality finds itself in. Cora MacNeil Follow Me 2018-02-11 10:12 PM AST Reply 0 0 What about our own province? We'd for sure get our fair share of this equalization money....no?
Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-14 10:53 AM AST Reply 4 0 Hi everyone. Some people on here are taking it personal that we say "Halifax". As Cape Bretoners, we refer to the Provincial Government as "Halifax". Sorry about that......This fight has nothing to do with Halifax as a city and most believe that the municipal government in Halifax is doing a fine job. Please excuse us when we say Halifax, we mean the Provincial Government in Halifax not the City of Halifax. Nigel Kearns Follow Me 2018-01-05 12:44 PM AST Reply 1 0 It is very hard not to say that. In all the sectors that I work with, this wording is relevant. Sadly, the Province (spelt H.A.L.I.F.A.X) is a thing. The optics make it so. However, you are correct. I have a constant pull between supporting a true "One Nova Scotia" and the reality we actually live with. Such personal conflict based on experience! Sigh!
[comment deleted] Posted 2017-12-14 1:44 PM AST Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-14 2:26 PM AST Reply 1 0 Your right Charles. An audit is far over due. We are currently communicating with Ottawa and the Auditor Generals office as well as the Prime Ministers office. We will see what happens when they get involved. The whole purpose of Equalization Payments is designed to equalize the the economy of the whole country. Well the NS Provincial Government is not interested in equalizing the provinces economy, that's for sure. Under the formula, we here in Cape Breton should be receiving hundreds of millions per year, not the $15 million we get. How can they justify a business tax rate here almost double that of Halifax and at the same rate as Vancouver's and we actually pay more business tax here in CBRM than Toronto. These are the questions we are currently asking Ottawa. Charles Sampson Follow Me 2017-12-14 4:56 PM AST Reply 1 0 If for the last 18 years municipalities in this province had received their federally provided 26% of those yearly Equalization Payments, the CBRM WOULD HAVE RECEIVED $3.88 BILLION. Trickle down economics is the failure as one well known economist called it the horse and sparrow theory: feed the horse enough oats at the front end, just maybe a few undigested oats fall out the rear end for the sparrows to feast on. THAT’s THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT’S POLICY ALL THESE YEARS. AN AUDIT WILL EXPOSE THIS CORRUPTION.
Charles Sampson Follow Me 2017-12-14 1:58 PM AST Reply 2 0 I have been following this Equalization issue for some time and cannot get an answer from the two levels of government as to the authority for transferring these yearly Equalization Payments unconditionally and still be in compliance with the Constitution Act, 1982. The NDP and the Liberal Party have questioned this political manipulation WHEN IN OPPOSITION but not when both formed government. The 2011 NS LIBERAL PARTY Annual General Meeting passed a resolution calling for an audit of this federal funding after being received by the provincial government. All correspondence with this Liberal government and the NDP previous government ignored answering why both did not address this matter. So much for electing representatives throughout this province to expose this kind of political theft that robs most municipalities of its federally provided funding. An audit is long overdue...
Charles Sampson Follow Me 2017-12-14 2:20 PM AST Reply 1 0 What is not being addressed by both levels of government is that 26% of the yearly Equalization Payments or approximately $460 million is a federal calculation that generates this amount because of the municipal fiscal weakness to raise sufficient revenues from their tax base to provide for public services at a reasonably comparative national standard. The problem is the provincial government’s program is ONLY $32 million. It’s true Halifax gets none of the $32 million. Also, the amount provided, in the case of the CBRM, GETS CLAWED BACK FOR PROVINCIAL EXPENDITURES. Really no net value to the provincial program to the CBRM. Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-14 2:30 PM AST Reply 0 0 How is this possible Charles.?? Charles Sampson Follow Me 2017-12-14 2:51 PM AST Reply 1 0 One reason is this money is unconditionally transferred to the province and goes into general revenues. All of the political parties when in power reply that it is received without conditions. When asked how that complies with the Constitution, they simply and tersely reply that the courts have backed the government policy. Secondly, our political party system does not invite our elected representatives to raise this issue on behalf of their voters. The silence is deafening. We need an audit to draw attention to this political shannigans.
Charles Sampson Follow Me 2017-12-14 5:21 PM AST Reply 2 0 If some regard the title as inciteful, then an audit would settle this matter. Remember, most municipalities are proportionally under funded - JUST LIKE THE CBRM.
Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-15 11:07 AM AST Reply 3 0 Thanks Patrick R: You are absolutely right in your comments. We can't trust any of the politicians in Nova Scotia to correct this problem. Cape Bretoners must unit to fix this. There has been enough people in power to date to at least get the ball rolling but never happened. We are currently speaking with Ottawa to see if an Audit can be performed and when the time is right, we will protest if needed. We have a lawyer on board to protect our rights to do so as well as a large growing number of younger people that want to get involved. Mr. Stan Peach wrote a letter to the editor today in the Cape Breton Post and is worth reading. He comments on the "crumbs that fall off the table from Halifax"......Everyone here on this Island knows that we are underfunded but in the past, I do not think people fully understood the numbers. There is a formula for which the Equalization Payments should be distributed in the towns and municipalities. The politicians don't seem to care about that but Ottawa might. This is what happens to an area when you put your full trust in politicians...I guess they think we are all stupid here on Cape Breton but guess what, It is time to fight back and I believe we will prevail in this cause. Everyone has to remember that we have the power, we elect the politicians and we can see them out of office. It is time to stop backing the people that do not help us and throw our power behind someone that will. This Amanda MacDougall has it right.......She says she represents the people in her riding first. The younger generation have much more power than people think. They have far more information available to them much quicker these days and while we think they are just constantly staring at their phones, they are very informed. I receive many emails each day from them that want to help protest and we will. People comment from time to time that Equalization is dead but in reality, it is just getting going.
Charles Sampson Follow Me 2017-12-15 12:13 PM AST Reply 2 0 If our political system was working where we again have two ministers from this municipality - and one who was a former councillor - shouldn’t that result in some representation that exposes the conspicuous under funding of their own municipality as well as most of the others in this province? Minister Mombourquette does appear for photo ops and is in today’s CB POST. Was he elected to represent the orders he receives from the leadership or premier of this province even when those orders are detrimental economically to this municipality? As a former councillor, he ought to be informed of the political manipulation each provincial government - including this one he is a minister of - but he has done nothing publicly to show he does represent his constituents that elected him. His cabinet colleague Min. G. McLellan also is as guilty as Min. Mombourquette in publicly remaining silent on theseEqualization Payments. When this happens election after election with whatever political party is in power, how is the act of voting important in creating a change to this kind of political corruption? Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-15 1:32 PM AST Reply 2 0 Hey Charles: Good comment....One of our board members actually had a meeting scheduled with Derek Mombourquette this past week and he kept our board member waiting all day and still did not see him. I spoke to a political science prof in Ontario and he stated that it seem like our provincial government has failed this Island right across the board. He is thinking of having his students investigating this for a project. I agreed to assist him. The fact that there has been so many politicians from here who have done nothing in this regard is sickening. If you look at the salaries and pensions involved with our local politicians, it is apparent that they are looking after themselves first. I wonder when we will see the big picture and realize that harder action is needed and we need to bypass the so called politicians to get anything done. They are of no use to the cause and are actually standing in our way. Puppets!!!
Charles Sampson Follow Me 2017-12-15 8:32 PM AST Reply 2 0 "It is important that Canadians be well informed about these arrangements and, more generally, about the evolution of fiscal relations between the federal government and the provinces. That they have not shown more interest may be because the arrangements •work very well. But another reason may be that too many have persuaded themselves that these arrangements are much too arcane and complicated for the layman to understand. This view is largely unfounded. I assure you that the nature and basic purposes of the fiscal arrangements are quite easy to understand. I feel rather strongly that this lack of interest is undesirable. For there is some danger that the remarkable achievements of the Canadian federation in this regard could be eroded in the near future." Allan J. MacEachern Seems our politicians of today do not concur. Today, the objective of governments is to not inform the public of financial workings of government such as the federal Equalization Payments. Governments today keep important data from the public to ensure they cannot be critical of government. For if you don't know that you don't know, how can you then question the government on what it or is not doing that it should be? The distribution of these federal Equalization Payments is one example of government doing its best to deny residents of under funded municipalities of just how badly that under funding has been over the years. It is time residents called upon their MLAs Mombourquette and McLellan to do the audit they called for in their 2011 Annual General Meeting Resolution.
Charles Sampson Follow Me 2017-12-16 4:59 PM AST Reply 0 0 Has anyone heard of our two federal MPs Eyking or Cuzner ever taking up this issue of the political manipulation of the yearly $1.77 billion Equalization provided to N.S.? Their latest salary increase puts them at $172,700 basic salary per year. After 15 years they will get a pension of approximately $129,525 per year. That should keep them from having to use our food bank. What benefit, however, has resulted from their “representation” to the economic survival of their own municipality regarding the constitutional entitlement of the Equalization Payments the CBRM residents are supposed to receive? They know that approximately 26% of the yearly Equalization Payments are federally provided because of the identified fiscal weakness of most municipalities to raise sufficient revenues from their tax base to provide reasonably comparable public services at reasonably comparable tax rates. But, they stayed silent. Again, if we vote the same election after election in the expectation of expecting a change to our circumstances, but receive none...it’s time to look in the mirror.
Charles Sampson Follow Me 2017-12-17 1:53 PM AST Reply 1 0 Remember these places: Canso Bridgetown Spring Hill Handsport Parrsborro Towns which had to dissolve and become part of a municipality because of the provincial under funding. The political representation of those towns becomes less in being absorbed in a larger body which too does not receive the amount of federally provided money from the provincial government’s $32 million when $460 million is provided by the federal Equalization Payments each year. What town is next?
Charles Sampson Follow Me 2017-12-18 1:12 PM AST Reply 0 0 The confrontation in the recent CBRM council meeting is another incident that would not likely have occured if the provincial government was distributing the federally provided 26% of the yearly Equalization Payments to municipalities each year. The mayor must bear responsibility for a problem he helped create when he was in a previous Conservative government and defended the then government’s provincial funding that was being challenged by former mayor John Morgan who was eventually forced to have this matter decided through the court. The New Dawn request for funding would not be an issue if the federal Equalization calculated for economically disadvantaged municipalities was actually given to those municipalities. Councillors need to call for an audit of these yearly Equalization Payments and seek support from the other disadvantaged municipalities. To remain silent on this under funding can only see most municipalities continue to manage their own economic decline. Joe Ward Follow Me 2018-01-22 12:07 AM AST Reply 0 0 Can you provide references for the following claim: "The mayor must bear responsibility for a problem he helped create when he was in a previous Conservative government and defended the then government’s provincial funding that was being challenged by former mayor John Morgan" I hear this repeated often, but I've never seen a direct source of information demonstrating it. Lloyd Allan MacPherson Follow Me 2018-01-22 12:27 AM AST Reply 1 0 It appears in this report from the CBC in 2012 : http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/former-mla-runs-for-cape-breton-mayor-s-seat-1.1181080 "As an MLA, Clarke was frequently on the opposite side of issues from Morgan, especially when it came to the matter of equalization funding." Charles Sampson Follow Me 2018-01-22 11:47 AM AST Reply 1 0 Thanks Lloyd. Charles Sampson Follow Me 2018-01-22 10:32 AM AST Reply 0 0 Joe, I recall reading it in the CB POST at the time reporting on a public exchange between Clarke and Morgan.
Martha Ross Follow Me 2017-12-18 3:04 PM AST Reply 1 0 I definitely believe that an audit will prove the the enjustice that the Gov.of Nova Scotia has being unfairly cheating the municipalities of N.S.for years. This is very important as citizens of this province step up to the plate and take what is rightly ours.........
Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-19 10:58 AM AST Reply 3 0 Did anyone see the CTV news on Friday past? Once all the major stories were finished, they announced the opening of the new Trade Center in Halifax. The Premier was interviewed and stated that the new building cost hundreds of millions of dollars to build and they showed all the politicians in town for the opening. The very next story was about Cape Breton having one of the highest child poverty rates in Canada and they showed some business men (Gord;s Sports, Rodney Colbourne, etc) who purchased snow suites and jackets for under privileged kids. They very next story was how the Vince Ryan Tournament will have to cancel many teams due the amount of rinks that have closed in Cape Breton. The Pier rink is unable to pay their tax bill and the BayPlex is closed due to mold that we can't afford to clean up. Do people not get it? Cape Breton is under attack from the Province of Nova Scotia. Highest Business tax rates, Higher property tax rates than HRM. Zero infrastructure growth in decades. CB District Health Authority taken away and now Doctors are leaving. Sold our railway system to the Americans. Etc. Etc. CBRM can't even get $100,000 for the New Dawn Center because of no money. Just read what people think of the politicians around here and you should see the big picture. It is time to protest publicly and let them know that we have had it with the BS that is our local politics. Every person on the Island should get in touch with their local government representatives and let them know that this in not acceptable. Please email [email protected] if you would like to get involved. Our numbers are growing and we will not let this die. We are going to demand change and not stop until it does. Thank you. Dr. Maroun
Charles Sampson Follow Me 2017-12-19 2:33 PM AST Reply 4 0 The reason our municipality - along with the majority of municipalities in this province - is on an economic slide downward suffering highest residential and business municipal taxes should not be a surprise because the elected politicians have sat on their *** and remained silent while a political crime continues to be committed. If the federal calculation of 26% of the yearly Equalization Payments of approximately $1.77 billion was distributed under the provincial formula the eligible municipalities would have received $430 billion. The provincial government, however, only distributes $32 million in its program. Imagine for a moment, if this CBRM had received the federal calculation of 26% identified by the federal government as fiscally deficient under its formula, that would mean this municipality would have received $3.88 billion. A question that should be asked is why does the federal government continue to provide this sum of money FOR our municipal economic weakness when the provincial government does nothing to address this municipal weakness year after year after year? Would you lend money to a family member to repair his house AGAIN if the first loan was spent on taking a trip somewhere? I don’t think so. But year after year the same money continues to be provided for municipal residents BUT NOT USED FOR THE INTENDED RESIDENTS DESIGNATED BY THE FEDERAL CALCULATION. AGAIN, in this year and next year, the federal EqualizationPayments to this province will increase, BUT the provincial government only distributes the same amount $32 million. While this political crime is being committed year after year our politicians continue to sit on their asses and say nothing. As this municipality economically declines, as our doctors leave, as our young people leave, as our infrastructure crumbles, when will the public react to this blantant economic destruction of our community. Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-19 3:37 PM AST Reply 1 0 Well said Charles. I don't understand why the people from CBRM put up with this year after year. When will our politicians start to actually earn their money and fight for Cape Breton. Do you have any idea what the rest of the towns and municipalities in Nova Scotia think of this.? Do they even know what is happening to them? Is there a way to reach out to each one of them and explain the numbers. The media need to get more involved here. Charles Sampson Follow Me 2017-12-20 9:46 AM AST Reply 0 0 CORRECTION: In the second paragraph of my post it should read $430 million NOT billion.
Martha Ross Follow Me 2017-12-19 5:01 PM AST Reply 1 0 The comments left here by Dr.Maroun and Charles Sampson have hit the nail on the head about the enjustic of the power of the gov. of N.S......Unless we take a stand....Speak up and voice this enjustic .....Nothing will change....
Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-20 12:21 PM AST Reply 2 0 Ways to help this cause..... Below is a list of local politicians to whom everyone concerned about our future on this Island, should contact to voice their thoughts. All you have to remember is that Ottawa will send $1.779 billion to the Provincial Government in an Equalization Payment and Halifax will take $32 million and divide that amount to all the towns and municipalities combined (Excluding Halifax). The actual amount that should be divided up should be aprox $460 million not the $32 million they are using. This is why there has been zero economic growth in CBRM and other towns and municipalities are broke and dying. An audit will clarify this situation and stop this political crime....... You should ask "why is the Provincial Government refusing to do an audit when the Liberal party in 2011 annual general meeting, passed a resolution calling for an audit of the federal equalization payment." You should ask "why CBRM pays such a high business tax rate (Equal to Vancouver and more than Toronto) How will CBRM small businesses grow with a business tax rate that is double that of HRM Contacts Mark Eyking (MP) 902 567 6275 Roger Cuzner (MP) 902 842 9763 Cecil Clarke (Mayor CBRM) 902 563 5000 @MayorCBRM (Twitter) [email protected] Derek Mombourquette (MLA) 902 562 8870 [email protected] Martha Ross Follow Me 2017-12-20 4:46 PM AST Reply 1 0 Former mayor John Morgan had guts,we never seen that before or since. Charles Sampson Follow Me 2017-12-20 9:01 PM AST Reply 0 0 He worked hard to have the law entrenched in our Constitution enforced by the courts. He couldn’t stop the politicalization inherent in the justice system as the government’s manipulation of this federal funding was not going to be allowed to go forward to a trial judge. That’s why an audit of this political manipulation will be resisted by the political party that forms government until enough noise is made by the victims in most municipalities of this province. An audit will prove former mayor John Morgan was an honest mayor and was right in trying to end this corruption.
Velma Sampson Follow Me 2017-12-20 7:11 PM AST Reply 1 0 Having lived most of my life in Toronto until 2012 when I moved to Moncton, what I see with Halifax and its relation to the rest of the province is much the same as Toronto and the rest of Ontario, save and except Ottawa. I grew up in Ottawa and had my family there. Toronto, it is a whole other ball of wax. Used to joke it was the capital of Canada and that the wealth of the country was dependent on the wealth of Toronto. I don't know how the funding from the Feds or the Provinces gets allocated, but coming from a tiny fishing village in Lr. L'Ardoise, Cape Breton - I can say it hasn't seen any growth since my childhood days, whereas Halifax has grown considerably. Even after retiring from the RCAF and then working on Parliament Hill and retiring, my father never returned to live in Cape Breton because, he said, there was nothing for him to do and he wasn't about to spend his days sitting around the Legion! Martha Ross Follow Me 2017-12-20 8:58 PM AST Reply 2 0 We live in a province that continues to have politicians,of all stripes that don't care for anyone but themselves...... Velma Sampson Follow Me 2017-12-21 12:26 PM AST Reply 1 0 Martha, It's like I have said, politicians are people and we have the good, the bad and the ugly. As citizens who put them in office, we must stand & remove them if they aren't doing what we elected them to do. It is our responsibility. We can't go to sleep as soon as we elect someone. We must stay informed and active. Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-21 12:56 PM AST Reply 3 0 Hi Velma: You are 100% right. Somewhere along the journey, the politicians, have lost sight of that. They are elected to represent the people of this country but they seem to do what they want, when they want, They do not want to talk about this situation with the Equalization because as Charles Sampson says "it is a political crime" and it is. Withholding funds from a community who the funds are intended for.....is a crime. We have to ask why politicians like Mark Eyking and Roger Cuzner, Cecil Clarke, etc do nothing about it. CBRM is shorted hundreds of million dollars a year and they know about it but why do they do nothing. They need to be challenged on this issue and people around here better wake up soon and start doing that. Our City and Island is at stake but their pay and pensions are not. Lloyd Allan MacPherson Follow Me 2017-12-21 2:05 PM AST Reply 2 0 It appears that they might be distracted by foreign influence as well. Returning from a recent trip to China, Eyking remarked that the trip was an eye-opener especially seeing how fast China and its middle class are growing, according to the Post. Over 300,000 people die prematurely each year in China due to pollution from the coal industry alone. I'm sure most of those citizens are from the middle class. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2017/11/07/pollution-kills-more-people-than-anything-else/#2459a3291a35 So what Trudeau and Eyking are telling us is that if you are lucky enough to survive China's poisonous environment, you will certainly thrive in an economy that is killing its people. Politics at its best... Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-21 2:15 PM AST Reply 2 0 How true Lloyd. Wow at the number of pollution related deaths. People are dying right here in this province because of politics. When we lost the Cape Breton District Health Authority and entrusted Halifax (Provincial Government) to look after our needs, it all went down hill. If we can't trust them to forward money that is allotted to us, how can we trust them with our health care????? Charles Sampson Follow Me 2017-12-21 2:55 PM AST Reply 1 0 Lloyd, our health will be in question to if the reported federal diminishing contribution, according to the Council of Canadians, continues. Under this 10 year Accord, we are funded on a per capita basis without any consideration of the per capita need. Nova Scotia has an OLDER population and will be short $993 million because of that. Furthermore, the federal contribution which at the beginning was 50-50 with the provinces will be ONLY 18.6% in 2024 and trending down further. But no comment from our politicians on that “secret” too. Our “pollution” is our politicians, which could be just as deadly. Lloyd Allan MacPherson Follow Me 2017-12-21 4:03 PM AST Reply 1 0 Sadly I've succumbed to René Girard's maxim: "politics can no longer save us," - seeing the HRM as a threat to life here is the stuff science fiction is made of. We are seemingly pitting our future generations against each other competitively akin to the "Hunger Games". Because we live on an isolated island with everything in full view, we witness it first. This fact also serves us with the responsibility to act first, unfortunately. It is sad to think that we've created the need for a refugee program for our children, for when they can't receive life's necessities (healthcare/employment), they are forced out of their region to find it in more prosperous locals. Our "pollution" is the smog that mimetic desire embraces us in. Acting in unison is our greatest attribute but only when our leadership is not using it against us as a vehicle to bring planned obsolescence schemes to our communities which require constant population increases to run efficiently. Corporations demand it - government rewards it. Isolation truly has its advantages - it can uncover a truth that others can't yet see. Is it too early to wake up from this mess? http://www.thinkingfaith.org/articles/%E2%80%98between-politics-and-apocalypse%E2%80%99-ren%C3%A9-girard%E2%80%99s-reading-global-crisis Martha Ross Follow Me 2017-12-21 4:32 PM AST Reply 1 0 You are so right Velma. We have being doing all the right stuff for ten years or more. And we will continue as long as it takes. But it doesn't matter which party is in power...they don't want to play fair and deal with the unfsirness Martha Ross Follow Me 2017-12-21 5:01 PM AST Reply 0 0 unfairness with the equalization program
Charles Sampson Follow Me 2017-12-21 2:35 PM AST Reply 2 0 The government’s $32 million funding of municipalities excludes HRM. The government each year receives approximately $1.77 billion, which will increase to approximately $1.8 next year. The remainder goes into General Revenues each year. How can the HRM NOT receive any of this money? When the amount provided yearly by the federal gov’t is approximately $460 million at 26% of the total Equalization of $1.8 billion, it is not being spent in the municipalities the federal government provided it for. Where else is it being spent? An audit would show what municipality is actually receiving most of this federal Equalization. Premier McNeil, your party passed a resolution in 2011 that called for an audit of this federal transfer. You continue to ignore this political crime. Don’t those residents in the poorer municipalities deserve some honesty from you? Or are you premier for only those you are ordered to spend these funds on? Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-21 2:47 PM AST Reply 2 0 Thanks Charles: I just just tweeted your comment to the Premier. Let's see if he replies any time soon. I bet our money went into the Nova Center building. An audit would show that.......
Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-22 11:19 AM AST Reply 2 0 The Equalization payment is designed to help economically struggling areas of the country build infrastructure, lower taxes, create jobs and promote new business startups. The big oil companies out west love Cape Breton workers. We as a people are hard working, caring, compassionate and history will show that with our coal mines, steel mills, fishing industry, etc. We have been beaten and battered by government here for many years with most of our industry taken away or dismantled. With our fair share provided by the Provincial Government, we could develop our port, maybe install a new rail bed to the causeway, provide major ship repairs to vessels in the shipping lanes just off our coast and further develop our tourism industry as we are sitting on one of the most beautiful islands in the world. It is our desire to one day not need any Equalization transfer payments and be self sufficient as a community and become what we were in the past, a place people come seeking work from all over and to live a better life. What has been taken from us over the years (Steel mills, coal mines, fishing, Atomic Energy of Canada, Via Rail, C.B. District Health Authority, etc. etc.) has now given us a bad light. The perception is we are just looking for hand outs and need help but this situation has been created by our government by not replacing industry as it was taken away and letting our economy decline. Cora MacNeil Follow Me 2018-01-08 11:24 PM AST Reply 1 0 It shure would be nice if the CBRM didn't eventually need this equalization money. However, I don't see why we should ever not fight hard for our share as long as it is potentially available. Injustice really bothers me deeply. I'd like to know why the HRM gets the majority of the money, and... to what degree pockets are being lined for solely policy reasons. I feel that they are avoiding this serious matter because, if we (CBRM) get our fair share, every other community will also fight aND win that they also deserve. Political heads will roll when the whole truth comes out. If senators can be taken down, so can these crooks.
Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-22 11:20 AM AST Reply 2 0 The Nova Scotians for Equalization Fairness Group is fighting for the funds that are designed for us but we are not getting so we can make our Island self sufficient again by creating jobs, technology and building infrastructure for the next generation. The Federal Government has done their part by providing this funding for areas such as ours but the Provincial Government in Halifax refuses to pass on the funds to such areas. I can't speak for the rest of the towns and municipalities in the province but here in Cape Breton, we are not going to stop with this action until there is resolve.
Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-22 2:39 PM AST Reply 4 0 We (Nova Scotians for Equalization Fairness Group) would like to thank you for reading, commenting and participating in our discussions here on GoCapeBreton. We will continue to fight for a better future for you and your families in 2018. May you all be blessed this holiday season and we wish you all the very best in the new year. Merry Christmas...... N.S.E.F. Board Sydney
Charles Sampson Follow Me 2017-12-22 3:36 PM AST Reply 3 0 So, Premier McNeil wants to win another term as premier. Does he deserve that privilege from all Nova Scotians? I do not think so. Why? Because he has NOT been honest in representing ALL Nova Scotians regarding the economic funding of the federal Equalization Payments provided by the federal government for the economically poorer municipalities. And he knowingly ignores his dishonesty. Premier McNeil is aware of his party’s 2011 Annual General Meeting Resolution that called for the auditor of this province to do an audit of these Equalization Payments as to where almost ALL of it is spent by the government in power. He knew then of the political crime being committed and still does. However, he has not called for that audit. He doesn’t deserve another term as premier because he has lied to the residents in the economically weak municipalities that he knowingly under funded all his years as premier to date. What he will deliver is more of the same dishonesty.
Charles Sampson Follow Me 2017-12-23 5:08 PM AST Reply 2 0 In today’s Dec. 23 CB POST, Bill Davies’ short letter expresses the sentiment that under our current economic “bondage” controlled by the provincial government issues a plea to the rest of Canada to free Cape Breton from that bondage. Our current economic decline will be assured with the provincial government’s yoke securely affixed around our necks.
Charles Sampson Follow Me 2017-12-26 6:19 PM AST Reply 2 0 Why are Ministers Derek Mombourquette and Geoff McLellan apparently in agreement with their political party’s call for an audit of the Equalization distribution within this province, yet remain silent when no action is taken knowing that their municipality is not receiving the amount the federal government provides for this municipality? Is it a problem with our two ministers or is the problem our political party system that prevents so-called “representatives” from actually representing the people that elected them? Are councillors too playing the party politics game? If not, why do they remain silently? When the federal government provides approximately $460 million to deal with this province’s municipal fiscal deficiency, why are all these politicians staying silent and accepting and expecting ONLY $32 million to economically deal with the obvious municipal fiscal deficiency so evident in this municipality? Oh, what an audit would show! Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-27 12:05 PM AST Reply 2 0 Hi Charles. We are starting to hear from other areas of the province now as well. All people are commenting on the same thing. "Why does the provincial Government not distribute the payments as they are supposed to"? Well that is the million dollar question isn't it. My position is, why are the people not calling their politicians with this question. They are here to serve us as the people of this province but no one is holding them accountable. Why? We here in CBRM are way too nice if you ask me. I am astonished at the amount of younger people that are contacting us to get involved. Social media is reaching them and finally they are understanding what the provincial government does not want them to understand. I guess they just want us to lay down and take what they say as "Gospel" . We are answering their question one by one and this is time consuming but well worth it. Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-27 12:06 PM AST Reply 2 0 When spring hits this year, they will know that we will lay down no more. I wonder when Ottawa gets involved (and they will) what the outcome of an audit will show. Where has all this money gone? What has it been used for? How much have the towns and municipalities been shorted over the years? Can we recover any of this money? There are million questions to be answered and I am starting to wonder if this is why the provincial government does not want us to know too much. There is a clause in the charter, that a town or municipality may not sue the provincial Government but the people certainly can. A class action lawsuit may be possible in the future, depending on an audit. In short, Ottawa should get involved soon and do right by the people of the province. Correct the situation now and avoid a mess in the future. We can't go back and correct all the wrong doings but we should move forward and start receiving the proper amount of money that we should. Growing our infrastructure and creating jobs costs money, money we are supposed to receive but not getting. Someone is responsible for this crime and we will get to the bottom of it. Our future depends on it......
Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-28 3:48 PM AST Reply 3 0 Why has the N.S. Government sold our Railway system to the Americans from Truro to Sydney?. Why did they not sell the whole provincial system.? Why did they not write easements and right-aways into the deal so people who have to cross the tracks to get to their homes and cottages would not have to pay fees to the US based company Genesee & Wyoming. I am told that there has been a survey conducted on the railway system and it is not in need of too much work or expense to get things moving again. We in CBRM have the best undeveloped seaport on the eastern seaboard or so it has been said. If our port is so valuable, why would the provincial government sell off our railway system? There has been too many questionable moves made by Halifax regarding Cape Breton Island and CBRM and it probably seems like we are paranoid around here but all the provincial government has done for us is take, take, take. If most of the jobs in Halifax are government jobs, why are there none in Sydney or other smaller towns around the province? If our rail system was in play, we could use it to transport cargo to the North Sydney ferry to NFLD like we have done in the past. How much road wear and tear would be saved? How many lives would be saved? Major road twinning could be reduced and less money spent as well as the CO2 reduction from one or two engines pulling 50 shipping containers verses one engine pulling one container as it is done now. It all comes down to us not getting our fair share of the equalization payments and Halifax makings bad decisions for us (As usual). We need to start making decisions based on our needs and our future development and not letting Halifax call all the shots. Mike Johnson Follow Me 2018-01-04 9:13 AM AST Reply 3 0 If you are using the Railway as an example then you should not expect any support or competence from Geoff MacLellan in particular or the Province in general. Geoff has had the file for 5 years, and the only thing that he accomplished was to hire a Consultant and then allowed TIR, NSP AND G&W to redact, amend and edit it until it was a whitewash. The Consultant's name was removed. He then paid the Railway $60k/month to not abandon and did not get a single concession in return. G&W is ILLEGALLY charging fees up to S22k for 'permission' to cross for new construction or utilities to existing cottages, and the Province and their disobedient and independent civil servants absolutely refuse to act on it. There is also 59 adjoining leaseholders that were promised in 1993, as part of the Sale, that they would be able to purchase their properties, and the Province has ignored that issue as well. There is $50 million of residential development available along Rte 223 in the next 5-10 years, but the Govt will not allow it to happen. So, not only are we not getting fair equalization payments, our government is preventing obvious investment.
Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2017-12-29 2:46 PM AST Reply 3 0 Big article in Cape Breton Post today about CBRM sets infrastructure spending record. What a joke. This is what one of the participants on this site refereed to as "The crumbs that fall off the table from Halifax" $21 million spent in CBRM and 50% is funded Federally, 25% from the Provincial Government and 25% from CBRM. Below are the Provincial Governments own words: Nova Scotia's capital plan lays out road map for infrastructure spending: Thirty-seven per cent of infrastructure spending will go to highways. About $100 million of that is for asphalt and resurfacing. Another $70 million will go toward new highways and bridges. Highlights of the total spending include: • $222.5 million for highways and bridges • $56.4 million contribution the Halifax Convention Centre • $82 million to build and renovate schools • $26.5 million for hospitals • $30 million for information technology projects • $17.8 for vehicles and equipment Do the math.......CBRM and the rest of the Province gets peanuts. Martha Ross Follow Me 2017-12-29 4:24 PM AST Reply 2 0 The picture is very clear......thanks Dr. Moron,you have explained it to exact.......but it will all be for the benefit for thr city of Halifax.........and the municipalities of Nova Scotia including the CBRM will continue to die. Unless we as the people take a strong stand for all these communities now, we will suffer endlessly.....
Charles Sampson Follow Me 2017-12-30 11:54 AM AST Reply 4 0 Are the federal and provincial governments claiming the wide differences in municipal taxes between HRM and other municipalities is complying with the law expressed in the Constitution Act 1982? Remember those taxes should be “reasonably comparable.”
Charles Sampson Follow Me 2017-12-31 1:11 PM AST Reply 2 0 Will this New Year bring some public accountability from our provincial MLAs and federal MPs regarding the political crime against most municipalities in this province regarding the distributing within this province of the federal Equalization Payments while towns are being dissolves and municipalities are badly under funded and their economic health is being intentionally compromised and down sized? Martha Ross Follow Me 2017-12-31 2:04 PM AST Reply 1 0 I definitely won’t hold my breath when it comes to the province and equalization. I believe it means the people of N.S. have to take a stand and speak up....action is needed in order for positive change to began.....
Charles Sampson Follow Me 2018-01-01 2:37 PM AST Reply 2 0 A New Year begins today, but will Ministers Mombourquette and McLellan end their silence and explain to their voters in the CBRM why the federally provided 26% or $460 million of the total $1.8 billion is not used by the Liberal provincial government to fund the struggling municipalities?
Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2018-01-02 11:48 AM AST Reply 4 0 The people here in CBRM are now just learning about the "Numbers" and the large amount that we are entitled to but not seeing. The pressure will be on very soon for our local politicians and the fact that they remain silent on this issue is getting people upset. We are the voters, we are the tax payer &, we elect the politicians. When the demonstrations and rallies start, our local politicians will pay the price at election time. It is common for every second family here to say good by to mom or dad and see them go off out west to work for a month at a time when they should have valid employment here at home. How can we develop any sort of industry here with no money? What will be the price that we will pay with single parent families and how much of family life will the people miss by having to leave for employment? Do you think for one minute that the provincial government cares about these issues? As long as taxes are collected, they don't care about your family and if they did, they would address the health care issue. It is the start of a new year for our group (NSEF) and we have a powerful year planned for CBRM. Thank god the younger generation are ready to see change and do something about it. Thank you to all of the people that contacted us and you will make a huge difference when the time comes.
Charles Sampson Follow Me 2018-01-04 7:26 AM AST Reply 3 0 What benefit has the CBRM received from the political parties - Liberal, Conservative or New Democrats - in having them comply with distributing the federally provided 26% or $460 million to the eligible municipalities to address their economic weakness year after year? Will our local politicians of all parties forego their whopping pensions because their public support for this constitutional entitlement for the taxpayers of this municipality was silence? Will our voters continue to re-elect the same silent kind of nonrepresentation on the intentional under funding of CBRM? Bill Fiander Follow Me 2018-01-04 10:21 AM AST Reply 2 0 It should be a promise of any representative of this area when vying for votes that they will commit all the power we vested in them to having the auditor general looking at how equalization payments are distributed. It should be on the top of their to-do list. Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2018-01-04 11:13 AM AST Reply 1 0 Your right Bill. The Nova Scotia Auditor General is Michael Pickup and his phone number is 902 424 5907 in Halifax. People should call and ask him to look into this. We contacted the Auditor General in Ottawa and still waiting for a response. If even half the people following this story called, then they would have to look into it. Like it has been commented here in older posts, The N.S. Government are afraid of a scandal or what an audit might reveal. Rest assured Bill. Come election time, lots of people will be bringing this matter up with the politicians who knock on the doors of the people of CBRM and this Island. If there were people who would run in the next election and make this their main focus, they would surely win against all these politicians who collect their big pay checks and pad huge pensions while not looking after our interests. Shame on them.... Martha Ross Follow Me 2018-01-04 12:32 PM AST Reply 1 0 We here in the CBRM have received no benefits from the political parties-all stripes. We living here in this municipality (CBRM), have we heard a strong voice from our elected mayors/councillors over the years since 1995 (ONLY JOHN MORGAN WAS THE EXCEPTION) the rest silence. We all need to ask the councillors/mayor of today "Why ARE YOU CONTINUING THIS SILENCE" it is deafing to the public. We need to be strong and take a stand......enough is enough...... Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2018-01-04 1:03 PM AST Reply 3 0 You are right Martha. We have started and we will stand. The younger generation have jumped on board thanks to social media. Together we will show the local politicians what strength in numbers will do. They will only look foolish by not addressing our concerns. We employ them and we can change that. Have you noticed over the past few years that politicians have stopped knocking on doors and actually talking to the people they want to represent. I have. I actually get a flyer in my door saying "sorry, I missed you" but they did not even knock. I see them walking through the neighborhood doing the same thing at every house. In reality, the politicians of today actually do not want to talk to any of us. They just want to be elected and get paid and really do not care about our concerns. I am generalizing and I know it is not the way with every politician but it seems to be they way of most.
Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2018-01-04 10:52 AM AST Reply 3 0 An email was sent to Cecil Clarke's office to allow the NSEF Group to present at the public meeting to discuss the charter for CBRM and we heard back from his office. We will have to submit our presentation in advance but it looks like they will let us present. Fingers crossed and we will update you as soon as we know more. Thanks again to all the people that are emailing with their show of support and offering help with this movement. Some comments have been made regarding who supported Mayor Morgan during his efforts. It is many years later and this problem is still ongoing. Most people did not understand what John Morgan was fighting for. I think we all need to put our attention on moving forward and getting this corrected so that Cape Breton can gain more economic strength. We together can fix this and show John Morgan that his efforts were not in vain and that his vision never died. He was the person who told us as a community what was going on and he opened lots of eyes, mine included. I think he would want us to fight, fight, fight...... Good luck to all with this winter storm.
Charles Sampson Follow Me 2018-01-05 1:38 PM AST Reply 1 0 COMMERCIAL TAXES 2015/16: as per $100 of assessment Halifax $3.36 Sydney. $5.63 IS THIS “REASONABLY COMPARABLE?” Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2018-01-05 1:59 PM AST Reply 1 0 Pretty sad hey. The Equalization Transfers are designed to stop this exact thing you are referring to. If you look at the country in all, we are the second highest, just behind Vancouver. How can you justify this? How can our mayor justify this? It almost seems like they are trying to deliberately sabotage new business start ups in CBRM. With our proper share of the Equalization payment, this would not be happening. Here is what the Federal Government says about Equalization: Equalization is the Government of Canada's transfer program for addressing fiscal disparities among provinces. Equalization payments enable less prosperous provincial governments to provide their residents with public services that are reasonably comparable to those in other provinces, at reasonably comparable levels of taxation. provide their residents......Not just the ones in Halifax as what has been going on for decades.
Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2018-01-05 2:25 PM AST Reply 2 0 Just to simplify the math for 2018. The Federal Government will transfer $1.993 Billion dollars to the Province of Nova Scotia under the Equalization Program The 26% that the towns and municipalities should receive is $518 Million. The province of Nova Scotia will distribute just over $32 million and short the towns and municipalities by $486 million. Based on our numbers, CBRM should receive 50% of the distributed amount or almost $260 million but instead we will receive $15 million. This is why our taxes are through the roof. This is why we have high unemployment. This is why we have one of the highest Child Poverty rates in the country. Just to keep things in perspective, the health care transfer from Ottawa will be $966 million this year. The equalization transfer will be $1.933 billion this year. If HRM is not eligible for any of the transfer from equalization, I would think Ottawa would want to look into where this money is going.
Charles Sampson Follow Me 2018-01-07 12:32 PM AST Reply 2 0 Denying economically starved municipalities and towns of their yearly Equalization Payments provided by the federal government cannot be reasonably justified by a legal system that boasts it interprets the law of this land as intended by the enshrinement of this legal obligation in our Constitution in 1982. Adding another year of this government denial based on the federal calculation of 26% of the total yearly Equalization Payments will mean the CBRM, for example, will have been economically starved of over $4 billion. And our local MLA politicians Minister Derek Mombourquette and Minister Geoff MacLellan are nowhere to be heard from. WHY? Bill Fiander Follow Me 2018-01-07 1:50 PM AST Reply 1 0 I think a lot of times politicians see their positions as a career and not as representatives.
Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2018-01-09 3:55 PM AST Reply 0 0 Big town hall meeting tonight in Halifax with the Prime Minister to find out what is on the minds of Nova Scotians. Well Halifax does not represent the people of Nova Scotia. We have almost a million people living in this province and about 450,000 are in HRM. Over half the population of this province does not live in HRM. So Mr. Prime Minister, with all the letters written to you and your staff in the past few months about the political theft going on here in this province, I find it very insulting that you would go to Halifax to find out what is on the minds of Nova Scotians. Come to Cape Breton and have a talk to us and find out what is on our minds. Heaven forbid you get asked about the political scandal that is going on in this province.
[comment deleted] Posted 2018-01-09 4:25 PM AST
Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2018-01-10 10:23 AM AST Reply 1 0 The NSEF (Nova Scotians for Equalization Fairness) group will hold a meeting at 6 P.M. this Friday (Jan 12th, 2018) at the Myles Burke Boardroom in the Sobeys store on Prince Street in Sydney. The boardroom can be located by walking in the front doors of the store and turn right. Walk towards the NSLC store entrance inside Sobeys and you will see a stairwell on the right. Take the stairs to the second floor and you will see the boardroom. The board members will be available to answer questions and pass out information regarding the Equalization Payment political scandal that we are currently living through. There is strength in numbers and together we will solve this long time problem. We look forward to seeing you. Martha Ross Follow Me 2018-01-10 12:58 PM AST Reply 1 0 Thank you Dr. Maroun.........I am spreading the message also about our Friday evening meeting.....Facebook and Twitter.......and other ways. See you Friday Folks, STAND UP......DON'T LET ANYONE TAKE AWAY YOUR RIGHTS TO FAIRNESS OF THE EQUALIZATION PROGRAM........
Charles Sampson Follow Me 2018-01-10 7:13 PM AST Reply 3 0 When the provincial government puts the federally provided $1.8 billion in General Revenues and makes up it’s own provincial Equalization program of only $32 million, can the Minister in charge of Municipal Affairs Derek Mombourquette explain how this program is in compliance with the Constitution Act of 1982? Remember that the federal government provided 26% on the federal transfer to deal with Nova Scotia’s municipal fiscal weakness that enables this province to fund its economically weak municipalities that would enable the provincial government to comply with its Constitution obligation to ALL Nova Scotians. Why have our provincial governments robbed most Nova Scotia municipalities? What was the legal purpose of entrenching this obligation in the Constitution in 1982 when the courts rule only the two signatures - federal and provincial governments - can deal with this issue? Apparently our courts disagree that the Constitution is the legal document citizens are suppose to judge if their elected representatives are governing according to the supreme law - our Constitution. Our politicians through their appointed justices have ruled citizens have no legal recourse to challenge their employees (government) when governments do not follow the laws that are legislated. Lloyd Allan MacPherson Follow Me 2018-01-11 3:46 AM AST Reply 3 0 Oh this is quite the rabbit hole we find ourselves in. Sacrificial lambs for the good of an inefficient city (pollution centre) that drags our children to its concrete playgrounds for sustenance. This one runs deep and parallel with the axiom that states if off-shore holdings are good for business, then they must be good for everyone, governments included (Panama/Paradise papers). Is this why 8 people now hold the combined wealth of the bottom 50% of the population? I spent 5 years in Quebec's most sovereignty-supportive region (Lucien Bouchard's home riding '92-'96) as an audible anglophone and was amazed at the number of civil servants who were sick to death with the state of the province knowing full well the inefficiencies that were originating in Ottawa. I spent 5 years teaching English as a second language to mostly civil servants of all ranks and tenure. 20 years later, I can assure you they are not any more happy with the current state of disparity, in all its forms. Provincial workers know this - this is not a depression we are in but there is scarcity apparent on the fringes that would indicate so. This experience gave me an interesting perspective on how money is handled in government and after watching how the referendum played out, I was convinced that politics would always be rigged in favour of large cities - population centres which have a level of clout that is unhealthy. This current scenario strengthens this. If I understand correctly, there is no mandate on how this equalization money is spent and this is the problem. This seems like an uphill battle but might easily become a national war-cry very quickly if each municipality reaches out to another and continues a quest for support. Where is Tommy Douglas when you need him, Charles Sampson? What would having Germany annex our region look like? A First Nation sovereign nation might be the only way forward but most would consider these suggestions satire at best. Charles Sampson Follow Me 2018-01-11 11:31 AM AST Reply 0 0 Lloyd MacPherson, you describe perfectly the uphill struggle we face. Lloyd Allan MacPherson Follow Me 2018-01-11 4:30 PM AST Reply 1 0 I think if you have a finger on the pulse of the world's economy, in 7 years (we are currently in a transition period), it is safe to assume that the equalization payment will be adjusted as fiscal capacity starts to level out among the provinces, although from what I can see it was designed specifically for growth each year, despite this. If there is a reform that will take place within the program, this idea would be prioritized first and foremost - there has to be a ceiling. The good news is that we are trending towards cooperative based economies/businesses - the hemp industry and its derivative markets further strengthen this idea. Cape Breton can be first to this transition and it makes sense since we are a project region (isolated). Interesting times we live in. It gives our residents the opportunity to be ahead of the curve - to be first to seek out our own independence in the areas we can, immediately. All points tend to converge on the importance of being self-sufficient and not having to rely on big cities to supply the necessities in life we need - cities are our largest drain on resources, despite being centres of economic growth. NSEF might be a launch pad for something greater - Dan Christmas tends to allude to this idea of a greater independence emerging from these shores. People who understand first hand the injustices doled out to the masses could very well be the people we've all been waiting for. Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2018-01-11 11:16 AM AST Reply 0 0 We will be passing out info material at the meeting tomorrow night and many people will be asked to call on Derek Mombourquette (MLA) to ask this question. What kind of politician knows this information and does nothing about it. If CBRM and every other area of the province are entitled to money provided by the federal government to build infrastructure, lower taxes, promote new business start ups and build economic strength then why would they sit back and collect their big pay check and do nothing about it? Is this not why we voted them in power, to look after our interests? Derek Mombourquette's office number is 902 562 8870 and his email is [email protected]. I encourage all concerned citizens who care about the future of this island to call and ask why nothing is being done about this. If I was Derek, I would jump on board and show your community that employ you that you will look into the matter. When there is 50 to 100 people protesting outside your office, it will be too late for your political career and you will have only yourself to blame. The towns and municipalities of this province should be seeing about $470 million per year but we see only $32 million. We will not sit back any further and allow this to happen. If your a politician, it is time to get to work and fight for the people that employ you......
Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2018-01-12 2:08 PM AST Reply 0 0 We hope to see as many people as possible for our open to the public, Equalization meeting tonight (Friday) at 6pm at the Myles Burke Boardroom at the Sobeys store on Prince Street. We are starting to get organized for protests, demonstrations and information rallies in the near future. It is time to step up and fight our provincial government on their unfair corrupt practice of Equalization Payment distribution in this province. It is all over Twitter today about how much the N.S. Government should provide for the new football stadium in Halifax. If we do not get going soon with lobbying our politicians and educating our residents, we will be left in the dust again. Next year our region (CBRM) should receive around $264 million from the Equalization Transfer Payment program but the Provincial government in Halifax will instead send only $15 million shorting us by $249 million. The Constitution Act of 1982 states what we should receive but the N.S. Government does not follow this and decides what scraps to send us. We are currently trying very hard to settle this matter peacefully by reaching out to the various politicians here and in Ottawa and we hope to resolve this matter in the near future but if not, we will be heard. We are currently investigating a class action lawsuit for the people of this Island as to date we figure that the provincial government has shorted us by $4 billion dollars. Now what could we have done with that kind of money here. Build big business, develop tourism, lower taxes, create jobs, promote new foreign business investment in the region. All of this has a dollar amount attached to it and that is what we will sue for.
Dr. Albert Maroun My Post Follow Me 2018-01-12 2:17 PM AST Reply 0 0 It is time to stand up for the future generations of this most beautiful island. Our senior citizens deserve more and the young people should have the opportunity to have valid employment right here at home. Cape Breton was Canada's most multicultural region at one time because of the employment that was available here and this made for a hardy breed of people. The mining strike days was too far back for most people to remember but when push came to shove, Cape Bretoners stood together and fought for their rights. This is the mind set we need to engage again and show the provincial government we are done with all this corruption.