Posted on 04/28/2005 12:54:09 PM PDT by UpHereEh
The spectacle of Paul Martin abandoning his principles in order to hold onto power would be pathetic if it weren't so infuriating. The prime minister has made a multi-billion-dollar lurch to the left, in a deal with the New Democrats to rewrite the two-month-old federal budget.
Can Martin really think this is good for the country? Putting Liberal interests ahead of Canadians' interests is what got the Natural Governing Party into this mess. Now they're doing it again. At least this time it's in the open.
But how can he justify adding $4.6 billion over two years to social spending? The budget delivered by Finance Minister Ralph Goodale on Feb. 23 already increased program spending by an eye-opening 11 per cent, from $141 billion all the way to $158 billion, plus further increases in subsequent years. That was before this new extravaganza.
And how, exactly, will this new money be spent? Suddenly the government must spend $800 million more this year on subsidized housing, to take just one example. But where, exactly? On what criteria? With what safeguards? Does that include advertising? Will they set aside a few tens of millions for the auditor-general? She's going to be busy.
Goodale can't be happy with all this. Just lately he was quoted as warning that to tinker with the budget is a "sure formula for the creation of a deficit." But the NDP doesn't mind deficits, as long as taxes on big business stay high.
Where will the NDP's money come from, given that the spending starts now while the business tax cuts were not to have taken effect for some time? It will come from debt reduction and Ottawa's contingency reserve, which we've been told for years are essential to prudent budgeting.
And what will this deal do to business? Just yesterday, in another context, we were warning in this space that business investment depends on, among other things, political stability, which Canada manifestly does not have with Paul Martin as PM. No doubt the business lobby overstated the benefits of Goodale's now-aborted downstream corporate tax cuts. But only Jack Layton and his MPs would deny that this abrupt reversal will do some damage.
Martin's cave-in also works a hardship on Quebec, as our columnist William Watson reminds us. Last week Quebec Finance Minister Michel Audet raised some taxes on big business (while cutting others) specifically to move into the "tax room" Goodale had vacated. Will Audet now back down? Or will business in Quebec face a double whammy?
Last week in this space we argued that despite the sponsorship outrage, there was no need for an immediate election. Canadians could have their chance to change governments, we argued, next fall, after Justice John Gomery reports his findings on the reeking $100 million scandal.
But now Martin has taken it upon himself to change governments, letting Layton play puppet master. Enough is enough.
Canadians will now say to Martin what Oliver Cromwell told a tumultuous Parliament in 1653:
"You have sat too long here for any good you have been doing. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you!"
"Right to rule????" Right??? To RULE??? Did someone die and make these pigs KING or something???
Golly, I sure hope not. It's still my hope that all OUR liberals will eventually migrate to Canada.
Hey, everything is a right.....Madison warned us about how this would happen..
The founding fathers have been spinning in the graves for so long I seriously doubt there is anything left of them.
Youibcannotn give liberals an inch they all want a mile.
Saying they have "lost the right to rule" and actually prying their grubby hands off the levers of power and influence may be quite different things. Liberals, as we have come to understand the meaning of the term in the present-day world, are tenacious creatures, and arrogate to themselves a belief that they are BORN to rule, as they are obviously so much smarter, and quicker, and, well, gifted in the verbal arts, that they should be accorded high office without seeking more than cursory and tacit assent by the lesser mortals.
They then make the mistake of believing this control is an hereditary thing, and great is their disappointment when nepotism fails.
As it should. Every generation should be thrown back on achieving goals on their own initiative, not trading on their name alone.
If the liberals go down in Canada and the Conservatives get in with a majority government than this will be a United Conservative Continent - not to mention the liberals bills that go down the toilet with them including:
-Bye-bye gay marriage
-See ya taxpayer funded sex-change operations
-So long third-term abortions for minors without parental consent
-Chow to taxpayer funded heroin to addicts
-Vamoose to the ridiculous gun control smither from Mr. Dithers
-Ta ta to legalized prostitution and pot
-Outta here for taxpayer funded prisoner tatoos
I could go on and on, but there's just not enough time in one day ;-)
I forgot the most important change of all that will happen when the Conservatives get in - the $1 billion+ a year in taxpayer money that goes to the liberal party affiliated agenda driven anti-American biased CBC will be ripped away within the first month!!! Let them spew there selective reporting and slanted coverage from a "sell ads for money" perspective like everyone else.
If Martin needs any help justifying the increases in social spending I recommend the writings of any of the Democrats in the New York Congressional delegation.
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