TorontoSun.com - Michael Taube - History on Harper's side

TorontoSun.com - Michael Taube - History on Harper's side

Interesting....

I might even be comfortable with that for a short time. The BQ are sufficiently progressive/liberal for me to be assured that the country wouldn't take a hard-right turn with Harper at the helm in this type of arrangement. They did almost kiss last summer (Duceppe and Harper) after all....

It's almost like the country has a natural urge to purge... after 12 years of Liberal rule, it needs a cleansing - to wash out the old Liberals in order to then turn around and re-elect them as the "new Liberals" under Ignatieff or someone else.

After 12 years with Trudeau as PM Canada opted for Joe's minority PC's, then inadvertantly we ended up with the same guy again for 4 years. Then in 1984 we elected Mulroney, had him and his bunch for 9 years and then felt sufficiently convinced that they had done a poor job, and we had the bills to prove it (albeit some from Trudeau's era too), we were also sufficiently convinced that the Chretien Liberals were different enough from the Trudeau Liberals to give them the keys to the House.... Which leads us to now.... We need to be convinced that Martin's Liberals are different enough from the Chretien Liberals, and so far we haven't been convinced.

If he (PM the PM) wins a majority this time, I will be surprised, happy but surprised. What he really needs is to get some daylight between his Liberals and the Sponsorship debacle, 3-4 years of a majority would get him there.

If he does not get a majority, either Taube's prediction will come to be and Martin will get to play the role of Leader of the Opposition, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Or Canada will have another Liberal minority gov't (hello Captain Obvious) which will further frustrate the electorate, and will result in backroom calls for Martin's ouster as leader.

I know that's a bold prediction, but I just can't see Martin recovering with any credibility should he sit again as a minority PM.

So yes, I am sticking my neck out on this one.

A. (clairvoyant) Liberal