Liberal Smack Down

Ahh, so the Liberal government is in the tank. After battling the likes of Jean Chretien, burning bridges and driving a stake into the heart of the Liberal Party of Canada in order to become Prime Minister, I doubt this was what Paul Martin had in mind for his reign.

Not that it matters - everyone saw this coming. And now we get to listen to the election campaigns, which I actually enjoy. It's so easy to understand the speeches, the rhetoric, the promises never to be kept.

My girlfriend yesterday asks me "but the government just signed a $900-plus million dollar, multi-year agreement on immigration funding with Ontario, what happens to that?" To which I reply "that's set up just like a transfer payment of sorts, a budget item. The new government can just scratch that item off the docket if they feel like it." Anyone who knows her probably knows what her reaction was (hint: it rhymes with 'that's fullspit").

In fact that leads to a larger point we should all keep in mind: the incoming government, whoever that may be, will be able to manipulate any agreements that are not in the actual budget. That $40B in promises the government rolled out in the last two week? Yeah, they're gone if the new kids don't like it. One has to wonder if the outgoing Libs knew the spending promises they were making in a last ditch/election move don't amount to anything but media time since you won't be around to sign the cheques. Food for thought.

I'm excite nonetheless. I can't wait to see what the parties do to cope with the winter election blues, the general malaise in voters, the Gomery debacle, blah blah...

Warren has a great article here about what he thinks the Liberal's need to get their house in order: nihilism. Tear it down and start over. Can't say I don't disagree. His prediction is a small Conservative minority. While I shudder to think of that possibility, I must concede it is entirely within their grasp at this point. I would have laughed at that possibility before December 12th, 2003. Funny how times change.