OPINION: Cape Breton equalization group offers to help Newfoundland

NSEF hoped to apply for intervenor status in the case and present evidence of what has happened in Nova Scotia over the past 30 years, where the provincial government kept the rural areas of the province in a poor fiscal capacity situation, to generate more equalization.

The NSEF committee and I worked hard preparing an affidavit for the Newfoundland and Labrador case against the federal government regarding the Constitution and equalization. The case was decided not to proceed, and the official reason was Newfoundland and Labrador dropped its equalization lawsuit in May 2026 because the newly elected Progressive Conservative provincial government wanted to build a constructive partnership with Ottawa. The NSEF hoped to apply for intervenor status in the case and present evidence of what has happened in Nova Scotia over the past 30 years, where the provincial government kept the rural areas of the province in a poor fiscal capacity situation, to generate more equalization.

The NSEF closely monitors the five categories that generate equalization in a receiving province to see the impact on the payments to the province. An example of this is that in 2023, the Donkin Mine was closed, and equalization increased by almost $400 million that year. It usually goes up by $100 million or maybe $200 million.

Natural resources is one of the categories we monitor closely. Another is the Municipal Deficiency in Tax Capacity. How much of that $400 million was used to create opportunity for the miners who lost their jobs in Donkin?

The Constitution is clear on why equalization is provided to a receiving province. It is designed to: promote equal opportunities for the well-being of Canadians and further economic development to reduce disparity in opportunities and, finally, to provide essential public services of reasonable quality to all Canadians. The next time you see MP Jaime Battiste or MP Mike Kelloway, you can ask them what economic development or opportunities Cape Breton has seen when the provincial government has received over $44 billion in equalization to date.

When they closed our industry down here, the province was heavily funded by the federal government to help us. Don’t bother with your MLAs as they are puppets to a political party that is controlled from above. If they cared about you, they would cross the floor and sit as independents to stand up to the corruption surrounding equalization.

Big paychecks, pension plans and their future are what matter most to our MLAs. If Mark Carney extends equalization again in Ottawa without fixing this corrupt system, then you know that they have handlers as well. It is time to hold the politicians accountable for this grave injustice to the fabric of our society in rural Nova Scotia.

Their actions have caused great damage to our communities. People are leaving for work for months at a time. Kids raised without both parents present and grandparents fending for themselves here while their kids are away for work have taken its toll on us.

Rev. Dr. Albert Maroun Sydney