Well, This is Awkward

So fancy meeting you here. Who'd have thunk?

Yesterday, Canada's New, New Government, same as the old government, delivered a fiscal statement in the midst of perhaps the greatest global financial crisis seen since the 1930s, and somehow forgot to include any substantial measures to deal with it. In a CBC interview with the abrasive Mr. Baird. His response to lack of attention to stimulus? Oh, we did that last year.

Now, I'm not sure which of the two implications is more shocking - that he is claiming they knew about the soon to arrive Worldwide Financial Crisis before anyone else, and didn't tell anyone, or that he considers reducing the GST a valuable financial stimulus. That cut creates an almost imperceptible reduction in prices for all but the biggest of big-ticket items, yet robs the government coffers of billions: low incentive for consumers with big negatives for deficit avoidance.

Also buried in the mini-budget speech, was the elimination of funding for political parties. The buck and a bit per vote that each party receives. The whole point of which, is that the parties are then beholden to the taxpayers, rather than to the guy in a suit that can slip them the biggest cheque.

The opportunistic leaders of the CRAP party have realized that the liberals are in a tough financial position. In their usual effort to silence and pummel anything that could be considered opposition, the surely figure that eliminating this source of funding will hamstring them for longer into the future. Just like their earlier elimination of legal support for people who find themselves in subjugated by government and forced to address it in the courts.

Anyway, those are the events that precipitate an untimely return to the consideration of potential elections. Now reports suggest that Messrs. Broadbent and Chretien are working at a potential coalition to take over government. The idea being a confidence vote on Monday, and a new government by next weekend. Clearly while I disagree that the chances of earlier election calls that preceded this last one were not a great concern to Canadians, I'm sure Canadians do not want to go to the polls with the same slate as our last round.

This led me to think there should be a new rule - when a minority government falls, all parties have to change leaders. Ha!

But presumably our GG will accept a proposal that sees a coalition government proposed following the failure of a confidence vote. So who will be PM? Clearly either Dion, Layton or Duceppe. The first and last seem impossible, so are we about to see a PM Layton?! What an amazing turn of events.

I'd suggest that the coalition might agree that Layton gets the keys until the Liberals elect their new guy, then he takes over with a guarantee of no election call until he's done an equivalent period, then it's all bets are off.

Would Duceppe stick it out? It would be preposterous to have a separatist take over the PM role - Ha! So what will they need to give him to keep him on side. The numbers don't work out without him.

There are 308 seats and C=143 while L=76 N=37 B=50 O=2 So clearly it takes em all.

The bottom line though - what kind of government puts us in this situation in the middle of a global financial crisis. Instead of building a concensus, collaborative government to get us through the tough times, they are bitter and divisive and put us into turmoil when we need strength and leadership.

Shame on them.

Who knows where we'll be by next week!