More Urgency Required On Fair Deal Panel Recommendations
Group says timelines should be compressed
CALGARY – The Buffalo Project is calling on the Alberta Government to move up several of its timelines on action items stemming from the Fair Deal Panel Report.
“We appreciate the good work of the Fair Deal Panel and are thankful the Kenney government commissioned it,” said Buffalo Project Board Chair Dallas Howe. “But after over 100 years of unfairness within Canada, we need to take more urgent and decisive action than the government proposed.”
The group noted many of the recommendations raised, like a fair equalization formula, have been debated and discussed for decades across Alberta.
A recent poll conducted on behalf of the Buffalo Project among members of the Angus Reid Forum from June 3-7, 2020 showed 72% of Albertans support a referendum to assess the fairness of equalization for Alberta.
That referendum would trigger negotiations with the federal government and put pressure on Ottawa to improve the formula and potentially grant Alberta autonomy in other ways.
“We think the equalization referendum could be moved to this fall rather than waiting another year,” added Howe. “The public clearly supports the referendum and waiting another 12 to 18 months just means more unfairness and billions of dollars from Alberta people going to equalization when we need it most.”
The Buffalo Project further encouraged the reports on an Alberta Pension Plan and Alberta Police Force to be completed before the end of 2020.
“Those reports on our own pension plan and police force are important to ensure we take appropriate action but can be produced within three or four months and should not wait until sometime in 2021. Action is needed now.”
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Findings of the study/survey conducted by the Buffalo Project from June 3-7, 2020 were with a representative sample of 800 Alberta residents and 800 Saskatchewan residents who are members of the Angus Reid Forum.
About Angus Reid Forum surveys:
The precision of Angus Reid Forum online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll is accurate for each province to within +/- 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, had all Canadians been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.
The Angus Reid Forum is Canada’s most well-known and trusted online public opinion community consisting of engaged residents across the country who answer surveys on topical issues that matter to all Canadians.
