With a resurgence in community interest in Equalization fairness, the federal and provincial equalization transfer is likely to become a highly influential factor for voters teetering between maintaining their support for the Liberal government or jumping ship to the Conservatives.

Although the epicentre is within the CBRM, increased provincial transfer payments is a vitally-needed source of revenue for struggling municipalities across the province.

For the CBRM, I've proposed that the most influential players who could get us a better deal in Equalization funding are our two Liberal MLAs/Ministers in the Liberal government (Derek Mombourquette and Geoff MacLellan), and the two guys many consider as the leading candidates to secure the leadership of the provincial PC Party (Tim Houston, and Cecil Clarke). Clarke is also moonlighting as our Mayor until the results come in.

After so many politicians doing nothing for so many years, I get your comment. All I will say is that I'm doing my homework. When I speak, I will mean it and I will do it. I'm not about pounding my chest and screaming. I'm interested in solutions. I will float an idea soon. https://t.co/tzj3e2cEEN

— Tim Houston (@TimHoustonNS) March 31, 2018

Mombourquette and MacLellan aren't going to touch Equalization. The Liberal government has no will to support it, and they've been busy distracting the CBRM with the promised Marconi Campus relocation and rushing through a sloppily written Bill 85 to support port development.

Meanwhile, as much as Cecil Clarke can now see firsthand what a failing CBRM looks like without sufficient resources, we have to remember that he was the very same provincial MLA that pushed back against Mayor John Morgan telling Cape Breton that we were getting enough.

As long as the CBRM Council will keep talking about Equalization, but not compelling the Mayor to do a single thing about it, either as mayor or as a PC leadership candidate, there's no reason to put any confidence in him fighting for more resources for us.

That leaves us with Tim Houston, who recognizes that we have a problem.

Though not from Cape Breton, he offers us three major advantages:

• Firstly, he's not a career politician like the others. He may still be running on the same fuel that convinced him he had to run for office to help get something done.
• Secondly, unlikely the others he has actual business experience and Finance/Accounting expertise to be able to evaluate and devise solutions for the problems we face.
• Thirdly, he's actually accepting that there is an unfairness in the distribution of Equalization resources.
  
  

My personal opinion is that it is unfair. I'll leave it at that for now. https://t.co/WR7H5JiKx9

— Tim Houston (@TimHoustonNS) March 31, 2018

It's impossible to solve a problem we won't acknowledge.

While we don't know who the next Premier will be yet, it's certainly positive news that the person many consider to be the presumptive new leader of the PC Party of Nova Scotia accepts that there is an unfairness in the Equalization funding. If the Conservatives do get elected with a majority in the next election, making Houston the premier, it's important that we follow up with him on the ideas he plans to share on how to correct the unfairness. Though the same goes for Cecil Clarke, ironically enough, he may not be willing to be our advocate.

From my perspective, there is an easy-to-implement short-term solution:

Unfreeze provincial equalization transfers. Double them to $64 Million in total for all eligible municipalities without any increase in clawback or other funding.

That's a start. Now let's see what Tim Houston comes up with. One thing is for sure: To be credible, he has to unveil a specific plan before he's declared the PC candidate for his support of Equalization unfairness.

To stand out from Clarke, Mombourquette, and MacLellan, he won't be able to be wishy-washy or skirt the questions about Equalization - or work against it - the way they do. Municipalities across the province will be eager to hear his ideas and see if he's willing to extend the lifeline they need.

I'm willing to be responsible for the future of Nova Scotia. We live in a wonderful province, but we can always make it better. I hope you'll consider joining @nspc to back my leadership campaign and work together to do just that. #nspoli #nspcldr https://t.co/tjHVlOQxiw pic.twitter.com/Tpp8yWXJhf

— Tim Houston (@TimHoustonNS) January 31, 2018

NOTE: The views expressed above are my own and do not represent lokol (goCapeBreton.com). Read more