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If ever there was a time for Alberta to resurrect the firewall concept, that time is now.

I was struck by this after reading Taylor C. Noakes’s rebuttal to my first column on the unfairness of equalization. I am glad he wrote his column (Calgary Herald, Dec. 20), because it helps us understand why Quebeckers don’t feel one shred of guilt about how much money they receive from Canada, and it confirms that they really are out to destroy our energy industry.

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You’ll recall the firewall letter was authored by Stephen Harper, Tom Flanagan, Ted Morton, Andy Crooks, Rainer Knopff and Ken Boessenkool in 2001. It argued for Alberta to assert itself in its areas of constitutional jurisdiction over health care, policing, public pensions and collecting our own personal income taxes.

I would especially love for Alberta to collect all taxes and remit the federal portion to Ottawa, rather than the other way around. Because then it would make it very clear to Noakes and others just how much money is generated by Alberta to the benefit of the country.