When did our "public servants" become our "Masters"? In a democracy, the principle of accountability holds that government officials, whether elected or appointed, are responsible to the citizens for their decisions and actions. In order that officials may be held accountable, the principle of transparency requires that the decisions and actions of those in government are open to public scrutiny and the public has a right to access government information. Both concepts are central to the very idea of democratic governance. Without accountability and transparency, democracy is impossible. In their absence, government has the potential to become arbitrary and self-serving. A dictatorship ,on the other hand, is a government by a dictator or dictators with absolute or supreme power or authority. Sound familiar? The following are some examples of what has transpired between our provincial government and its dealing with Cape Breton Island in the past 20 years. Nova Scotia Power property taxes generated on this island go directly to the provincial government. After it is clawed back, a grant in lieu of taxes gets sent to us at a fixed amount. We are then held responsible to provide maintenance & service to these properties at our expense. This practice was FORCED on all Nova Scotians. We had no say. The same can be said of the FORCED amalgamation of the CBRM from the former County of Cape Breton to a single municipality. Unlike most amalgamations starting with a clean slate, the CBRM started its new life 53 million dollars in debt. In more recent times, the provincial government has taken over CONTROL of our hospitals ,doctors, nurses ,maintenance staff, schools, teachers, support staff and all related services & administration duties (jobs) that go along with them. The CBRM has outrageously high taxes. Currently, our property taxes are 87%higher than Halifax and our commercial taxes are 67% higher. This makes no sense. Every year the provincial government makes application to the federal government for an Equalization Transfer. This transfer is just under 2 billion dollars. Nova Scotia qualifies as a "have not" province because of the economic disparity in rural Nova Scotia & Cape Breton. The stated purpose of this transfer is to alleviate economic disparity, to have a comparable tax rate and comparable infrastructure and services. The federally calculated percent of the total Equalization payment which was corroborated in a letter from a federal finance department official is approximately 26%. This being said, why are our taxes so outrageous? Why does the Marconi Trail stop in the middle, minus its bridge? Why are Mulgrave, New Glasgow, The Town of Pictou, Pictou County and Stellerton on the list for dissolution? Maybe it is because our Dictator-like Leader chooses to IGNORE the intent of this Federal Transfer and instead, to adhere only to the "unconditional" term attached to it. To put this transfer in a separate account would be the transparent, accountable and DEMOCRATIC way to deal with this money. Only a DICTATORSHIP would put it in General Revenue and spend it as they please with no accountability to anyone. I guess 75% is just not enough when you can have it all. When Cape Breton Island has more in common with Cuba than with Prince Edward Island, it really is time to talk about separation.