When the promising Paul Martin took over the reins of the Liberal Party 17 months ago, making him prime minister of Canada, the uppermost question was: Would he win the forthcoming election by the greatest margin in Canadian history, or merely by one of the greatest margins? When the election arrived last June, he almost lost it, gaining 135 seats in the 308-seat house, only enough to form a minority government. The rival Tories took 99 seats, Quebec's secessionist Bloc Quebecois 54, and the socialist New Democratic Party 19. There was one independent. Last week, a distraught Martin – exhausted,...
