Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty is continuing his crusade aimed at getting more federal funding.

In an interview with CBC Radio's Metro Morning on Monday, McGuinty positioned Ontario as a province that has always put the country's interests first.

"It's just been commonly accepted that if you need to get away with anything the people who will never stand up and say, 'No, you can't do that' are the people of Ontario, because we've been so determined to align ourselves with the greater national interest," said McGuinty.

The premier said the province has contributed about $100 billion to 'have not' provinces over the past 50 years. But with a slumping American economy and Ontario's exports slipping, the province is looking for some funding of its own.

McGuinty also wants employment insurance payments for Ontario's unemployed workers to be equal to those in other provinces.