24 September 2009

Have not?

Forget all the talk about Newfoundland and Labrador being a have not province.  Figures from the federal finance department tell a different tale.

2004

2005

2006

2007

NL

7792

8572

8994

9936

PE

7489

7671

7874

8594

NS

5966

6422

7014

7701

NB

6895

7349

7849

8476

QC

6324

6493

6787

7108

ON

5652

5979

6261

6848

MB

7510

8080

8154

9235

SK

6465

7179

7768

8058

AB

7363

8050

8562

9461

BC

6828

7316

7578

8054

Leaving out debt servicing , Newfoundland and Labrador topped every province in the country  in spending per person in 12 of the  21 years from 1986 to 2007.  The province has been in the top three in per person spending in all but three years in that period.

percapitasEven more surprisingly, Newfoundland and Labrador has been in the top spot in all but two years since 1994. 

And the gap isn’t a small one. 

In 2007, Newfoundland and Labrador outspent Alberta by $500 per person. 

In 2003, the last year of the Grimes administration, Newfoundland and Labrador spent about $1300 per person more than oil-soaked Alberta.

-srbp-