March 22, 2007 - Much like having a dual identity as a result of a mixed heritage, I am an individual whose designation as a British Columbian has always been pulled in another direction. Much of my family roots are tied back to Montreal, and my frequent visits back to Quebec over the past 10-15 years have made the city and la belle province my second home.

Thus, I have never been a western whiner, constantly complaining about how much more central Canada gets in comparison to this province. As I often like to say, I don't talk West Coast, I don't eat West Coast, I don't dress West Coast, and I certainly don't think West Coast.

However, the deal that Stephen Harper has handed BC in Jim Flaherty's new equalization formula has royally screwed this province for many decades to come.

BC's skyrocketing property values are out of control (they have risen on average an astonishing 23% over the past year), and under Flaherty's new scheme, they will be included into equalization calculations. This now puts BC ahead of Ontario on the equalization ladder.

Now while British Columbia's economy is booming at the present time, everything is cyclical, and no economy stays hot forever. This then means that if and when this province faces economic hardship, it is very unlikely that it would be eligible to receive equalization ever again.

Even if this province's economy tanks, our property values are not going to be going down anytime soon, which in turn will continue to put BC out of reach for equalization consideration.

So what is Harper's reaction to such a situation? Well, take a look at these comments:

"Everybody is getting what they asked for, everybody's getting a fair share, that addresses the priorities in these various regions. We can either accept the good news, whether it's for BC seniors or families or farmers or whatever, or we can just be jealous of the other region. But I don't think that's warranted."

Either Harper doesn't understand the parameters of what his government has just done, or flat out doesn't care. Regardless, the statement made by Flaherty that "The long, tiring, unproductive era of bickering between the provincial and federal governments is over" is a joke.

This is just one story of many from across the country indicating how badly Harper and Flaherty have misjudged this file. As far as I can see, a renewed era of bickering has just been kickstarted.

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