In the constitutional moment known to Canadians as Confederation, in 1867 the UK Parliament passed the British North America Act, 1867 (now known as the Constitution Act, 1867), thereby creating the Dominion of Canada. From the time of Confederation, there have been, broadly speaking, two sets...

Canada has had a fiscal equalization system since 1957, and equalization was formally embedded in the constitution in 1982. However, the rationale for equalization, how the concept is defined and applied, and what its effects are or should be are all issues that continue to be vigorously debated...