The Art of Sharing: Fiscal relations in the federation

In a federation the size and scope of Canada, the topic of fiscal inequalities among the provinces is especially fraught. With a referendum on equalization set for the fall in Alberta, the issue has heated up once again. In her book, The Art of Sharing: The Richer versus the Poorer Provinces since Confederation, author Mary Janigan makes the case that a willingness to share financial resources is in fact the real tie that has bound the federation together into the twenty-first century.

This event brings together a broad range of perspectives: a historian and journalist, a former Attorney General of BC, a former Finance Minister of Saskatchewan, an Alberta economist specializing in fiscal relations and a senior Manitoba intergovernmental official to consider how sharing works - or doesn’t work - in Canada, how budget decisions by each order of government across the country affect the services Canadians receive from their governments today and the cost into the future.

Join author Mary Janigan and host Colleen Collins, Vice-President Canada West Foundation for a discussion and Q and A session with panelists:

Suzanne Anton, Former Attorney-General BC and Canada West Foundation Board Member Trevor Tombe, Associate Professor of Economics, University of Calgary Kevin Doherty, Managing Director, Saskatchewan Prairie Sky Consulting and Canada West Foundation Board Member Diane Gray, President & CEO, CentrePort Canada and Canada West Foundation Board Member