None of the $11.7 billion in equalization payments will be seen in our province.

The Federal government is guaranteeing $11.7 billion in equalization payments for Canadians in 2007 and 2008, but the province of Saskatchewan will receive nothing.

Provincial Finance Minister, Andrew Thomson, is reacting to a letter he received yesterday from his Federal counterpart, Jim Flaherty, detailing payments to the various provinces that range from $291 million to Prince Edward Island to $6.5 billion to Quebec.

Thomson says the situation results in hundreds of millions of lost dollars for the province.

In his letter, Minister Flaherty cited "restoring fiscal balance in Canada" and "providing certainty" as reasons for the distribution.

Minister Thomson encourages residents to remind their local MP's to keep their promise.

More information on Saskatchewan's quest for a fair equalization deal is available online at www.imaginesask.ca