'Cut the middle man': Alberta floats swapping equalization for more provincial tax-collecting
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He also said that there was little basis for the comparison between health transfers and equalization payments.
'Health transfers bring provinces together because they have a shared interest in getting more money from Ottawa. With equalization, there are explicit winners and losers,' said Béland.
Equalization is one of six topics the Alberta Next panel will be looking into. Others include the Alberta Pension Plan, a provincial police force and constitutional changes.
Smith named University of Calgary economics professor Trevor Tombe, an expert on equalization, to the panel on Wednesday.
The premier has said that ideas and discussions from the panel will be used to shape questions put forward to Albertans on next year's referendum ballot.
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