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When Ontario had its equalization payments cut two years ago, the finance minister of Canada’s largest province, Charles Sousa, called it “an attack.”

Admittedly, the hit to the province’s bottom line was $1.2 billion, but as the late federal finance minister Jim Flaherty pointed out, the cut was the result of an independent formula, not politically motivated spite.

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The same formula was at play when federal transfers were announced at the weekend.

Again, it resulted in Ontario losing out, but this time, the response was more muted.

Ontario will get $60 million less in 2016-17 than it did this year, “But that’s okay,” said Sousa Monday. “We want to support all provinces to be at their best.”

What might possibly explain this festive largesse?