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have-not province
DCHP-2 (Oct 2016)
Spelling variants:"have not" province
n. — Politics
a province which qualifies for equalization payments from the federal government that ensure public services comparable to those in other provinces, at reasonably comparable levels of taxation.
Type: 1. Origin — The first formal equalization payment program was instituted in 1957 (Canadian Encyclopedia reference, see the 1957 quotation) and the concept of equalization payments was reconfirmed in the 1982 Constitution Act. Provinces which qualify for equalization payments are known as have-not provinces. The term is restricted to Canada (see Chart 1). The parallel term, have province, is attested somewhat later.
See also Gage-5, s.v. "have-not", COD-2, s.v. "have-not province", which labels it "Cdn".
See also Gage-5, s.v. "have-not", COD-2, s.v. "have-not province", which labels it "Cdn".
Quotations
1957
Mr.Smallwood has never troubled to give a detailed accounting -- to Newfoundlanders or other Canadian taxpayers whose money is supposed to be helping this have-not province.
1960
Ontario might actually be a have-not province, entitled to a tax equalization grant if, for example, petroleum and natural gas revenues were included in the calculations," Mr. Allan declared.
1978
Through equalization payments and unemployment benefits and the per cent federal contribution to welfare the have not provinces are given an incentive to raise the minimum wage higher than market conditions warrant.
1989
The program invites prospective immigrants to come to Canada if they agree to invest $150,000 in Canadian business ventures in Atlantic Canada, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, designated as have-not provinces.
1999
If a have-not province could come up with $350 million on its own, the federal government would be almost obligated to cough up the proposed $1-billion package demanded.
2008
Changes to equalization, not to mention a realignment of "have" and "have-not" provinces, could also prompt a new wave of regional beefs and resentments -- the bane of Confederation.
2015
Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall wants cuts to the federal equalization program, suggesting some of the have-not provinces are getting too much money that could be better spent elsewhere. "It is a lot of money to go out in a way that seems to be dated and not always efficient, and infrastructure and tax relief might be an option instead," Wall said Wednesday.
References
- Gage-5
- Canadian Encyclopedia • Equalization Payments
- COD-2
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