Premier Pat Binns is scheduled to meet with his Atlantic counterparts in Halifax this evening for talks on how the region can work together to improve federal-provincial financing arrangements. In particular, it is expected that the Council of Atlantic Premiers will focus on a strategy for advancing Atlantic Canada's position on improving the Equalization program.
Premier Binns noted that the Equalization program is the largest federal transfer for funding provincial government services such as health and education in the region. The federal government is constitutionally mandated to make equalization payments to ensure that all provinces can provide comparable levels of public services.
Premier Binns expressed concern that constraints on the existing program prevent it from fully meeting its constitutional objectives. "Atlantic Premiers will continue to make the case that the Equalization program needs to be strengthened to ensure that all Canadians can have access to quality public services including health care and education", stated the Premier. "With its enormous surpluses, the timing is right for the federal government to improve the Equalization program to bring the revenues of have-not provinces closer to a national standard as called for in the Constitution."
Premier Binns noted that Atlantic Finance Ministers also have an important ongoing role to play in advancing the regional position on equalization in meetings with their counterparts in the federal and provincial governments.
Since the formation of the Council of Atlantic Premiers on May 15, 2000, Atlantic Premiers have been pursuing joint priorities which include: securing adequate funding for health care; identifying and pursuing key investments to strengthen economic growth; and seeking improvements to the national fiscal transfer system consistent with established Constitutional commitments.