News Release

From the Prime Minister's Web Site (http://www.pm.gc.ca/)

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PRIME MINISTER HARPER WRITES PREMIER JEAN CHAREST ON PLAN TO RESTORE FISCAL BALANCE IN CANADA

March 19, 2007
Ottawa, Ontario

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today wrote Premier Jean Charest to outline the benefits for Quebec in the historic fiscal balance plan set out in Budget 2007.

Prime Minister Harper's letter highlighted the following issues:

Quebec will benefit from an Equalization formula based on a ten-province standard and a new approach to property tax Equalization that Quebec has long advocated.

Our plan also reflects my Government's strong commitment to a federalism of openness and respect for provincial jurisdiction, notably by limiting the use of the federal spending power.

Quebec will also benefit from a move to predictable, long-term transfers, and from significant new investments in post-secondary education, child care, labour market training, infrastructure and initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.

Prime Minister Harper concluded that "our plan delivers important benefits to the people of Quebec. Quebec will have access to incremental federal funding of close to $2.2 billion by the end of 2007-08."

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The Prime Minister's Office - Communications
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