Eppur si statistice

Yes, the stats keep coming.

Ryan Cleary flatters himself:

(Good thing The Independent’s in the business of getting both sides of a story.)

Yes, a very good thing. And now that it’s “in the business of getting both sides of a story” perhaps Cleary’s organ will also get into the business of “getting” both sides of a ledger:

One program that was not included in the fiscal transfer analysis was Employment Insurance. The Independent concluded that the program is funded by employer contributions and is only managed by the federal government — there were no direct fiscal transfers from the federal government related to EI.

It’s true that the EI program is funded by employer contributions (and by the employee contributions that Cleary’s crack team of researchers missed.)

Between 1981 and 2003 (the years for which Statscan figures are available), Newfoundland and Labrador employers and employees combined paid a total of $4.6-billion in UI/EI premiums.

But during the same period — this is the other side of the ledger, Ryan — Newfoundland and Labrador UI/EI recipients received a total of $16.2-billion in benefits.

After deducting the amount paid from the province into the system in the form of premiums, where did the other $11.5-billion come into the province from?

Perhaps the expert researchers at The Independent can solve that fascinating economic riddle.