Posted on 02/18/2005 9:00:06 AM PST by UpHereEh
OTTAWA (CP) - To hundreds of thousands of influential readers around the world, Canada's prime minister will now be known as an indecisive leader dubbed "Mr. Dithers."
The Economist magazine pronounced its dismay with Paul Martin's first 14 months in office under an article headlined, 'Mr. Dithers' and his Distracting Fiscal Cafeteria.
The prestigious British-based magazine said Martin has been a pale shadow of the deficit-slaying finance minister long respected by the economic community.
"Mr. Martin, a successful finance minister for almost a decade until 2002, cannot quite shake off the impression that Canada's top job is too big for him," says the Economist in an article posted to its website Thursday and expected to be featured in next edition on Canadian news stands Monday.
"His faltering leadership has earned him the sobriquet of 'Mr Dithers.' "
Canadian leaders were snapping up copies of the magazine - which has a circulation of about 900,000 and is sold in dozens of countries - over a year ago when it carried a front-page graphic of a moose wearing sunglasses to accompany an article calling Canada "cool."
Then-prime minister Jean Chretien couldn't stop referring to the story, which cited new laws on marijuana decriminalization and same-sex marriage as proof of Canada's 'coolness.'
The current prime minister is now taking exception to the Economist's view of Canadian politics.
"Only (Economist) readers who live in Canada can say theirs is a government that is delivering an eighth consecutive balanced budget," said Martin spokesman Scott Reid.
"(It's making) record investments in health care, child care, cities and the environment while also retiring billions in debt.
"No doubt readers from all other nations will feel a good measure of envy for what Canada has - and is accomplishing under the leadership of Paul Martin."
But the magazine's writers say Martin has made little progress on federal initiatives while offering up billions in cash for provincial programs.
"The federal government has seemed slow and hesitant in pushing ahead with its own agenda," says the article.
And in an apparently unintended twist on Pierre Trudeau's famous line about Joe Clark - "headwaiter to the provinces" - the accompanying cartoon depicts Martin as an apron-clad chef shovelling tax dollars onto the plates of hungry customers.
While top federal priorities like the long-awaited foreign policy review remain under construction, the government has kept itself active mainly by acquiescing to provincial cash demands, the article says.
It cites the $41 billion health agreement, where Martin agreed to a special side deal with Quebec last fall.
More recently a multibillion-dollar offshore promise to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia led to an avalanche of demands from other provinces, the Economist article adds.
And there are already musings of a side deal with Quebec in the creation of a $5 billion national child-care program.
Events of the last few months have made the Feb. 23 budget even more important than most - and perhaps crucial in deciding the next election, says the Economist.
"It should allow Mr. Martin to set some priorities, rather than responding to those of others," it says.
"But if Mr. Martin is to win that election when it comes, perhaps next spring, he will have to show more of his decisive leadership of old."
"Mr. Dithers."
Haw!
'Mr Dithers' - how appropo.
And a Liberal Party filled with Dagwood Bumsteads who blindly salute the boss, do as they're told, and don't make waves.
Anybody notice how out-of-control government spending is now called "investment"?
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The Economist is a little slow on the draw. He has been known as that over here for a while.
It's amazing how that when Paul Martin as finance minister cut a hundred billion out of health care (causing it's financial dilemma in the first place) in order to deliver one of these "balanced budgets", now claims to be fixing what he originally broke with only 10 billion going back into it. And now, he's going to deliver "national daycare" and tax the crap out of the already overtaxed canucky population? With the huge losses Canadians are about to face with those liberals trying to live up to their Kyoto commitment, (another brainless blunder) I doubt the Canadian taxpayer can withstand the burden of trying to revive a failed health care system (failed largely because of Martin the finance minister mismanagement) a failed military in it's last gasps of life (another Martin the finance minister mismanagement), and now a socialist child care plan to add to Canada's cradle to grave left wing lunacy which is also doomed for failure as are all the latest liberal agenda's, like gun control. Martin has delivered a balanced budget alright, by sacrificing almost every social program there is. That's not a balanced budget, thats a deferred debt that must be paid one day. Meanwhile the liberals are stealing and spending the taxpayers money, such as ad scam, Royal tours by Canada's queen Adrian Clarkson, failed gun control, all the while promoting distractions like gay marriage. Unless Canadians wake up soon, they won't have a country left.
Yes! That's what we need "more of that decisive leadership" that led to almost burying the Adscam, ignoring Oulette's multimillion dollar thefts, and innumerable other fiscally irresponsible moonbat behaviors, including the Gun Regsistry!!! Yup, Economist staff, keep up the clear headed and professional agenda-driven rubbish you've become famous for - at least stealing "Mr. Dithers" as Economist's appelation isn't quite so bad.
Bravo, Mr. Zachary! I didn't read yours till posting mine, and unnecessarily repeated some of your themes. For those who care, Citizens' Centre in Alberta, run by Senator elect Link Byfield is a worthwhile internet location. That is www.Citizenscentre.com .
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