Memorial University is putting on a forum entitled: Terms of (dis)Union – Confederation 60 Years On. I heard George Baker and two former NL Premiers on The Current this morning debating NL inside Confederation. Whenever this discussion comes up, the reaction from Ontario, Alberta, et. al. is contempt. How can those ungrateful Newfoundlanders criticize Confederation after all the EI and Equalization that has been fed into that province for decades?
As I have said here before, the only response to that is what if roles were reversed? How would Alberta or Ontario feel about being a chronically underperforming economy that is in depopulation? I am sure an equal if not superior stink would be made. New Brunswick cannot afford to question its place in Confederation because of its reliance on Equalization and transfers but prima facie it is obvious that economically New Brunswick has not kept pace with most of the rest of Canada since our joining Confederation.
I think these discussions are healthy and indeed necessary. I’d like to see a similar process in New Brunswick.