Unlike the "Great Kreskin" no mentalist am I...but short of a few politicians, our Prime Minister included, I can't think of any Canadian who wants an early Federal election this fall.
Lest it be eclipsed by the great shadow of the Presidential election fest down south of the Canadian border. Despite some of Prime Minister Harper's best efforts to picture an heretofore "dysfunctional" Parliament since the election of his minority government in January 2006. There is neither need nor desire on the part of the Canadian electorate to trudge to the polling stations before the legally mandated fall 2009 election.
Politicians in both major national parties, Conservatives and Liberals, should therefore beware of measures, activities, conspiracies to force an early election on a now suspecting Canadian public. The rhetoric and acrimony of the last recent sessions of Parliament have at times been painful to watch. But, regardless of the efforts to paint a dysfunctional government, there remains evidence to the contrary. To wit: taxes, including the GST, are down. Spending is up, important legislation has been passed, although in trouble, Canada's economy is still better than most, and there's still hope for a government surplus at the end of the fiscal year...razor thin as it may be.
Lest I digress: Speaking of the "Great Kreskin", now in his golden years, he performed at the Central Canada Exhibition, Ottawa's SuperEx, earlier in the week. Kreskin is no stranger to Ottawa. His late 1960's early 1970's network television weekly series was produced in the nation's capital by Carleton Productions, Canada's then pre-eminent TV production house. Alas, Carleton Productions and its parent, CJOH-TV are now, much like the station's News anchor, Max Keeping OC, mere vestiges of what once they were.
Therein of course is the lesson for our national political leader as they contemplate drawing the nation into an unwanted and unwarranted fall Federal election. The Prime Minister, Mr. Harper, risks condemnation to another round of minority government thereby challenging Lester Pearson's record as the country's only two term Minority Government Prime-Minister.
The stakes are higher even for the Liberal Leader, Stephane Dion. Whilst he has notched considerable progress, nay, recognition, over the summer's break from Parliament, the Dion inspired Liberal "Green Shift" hasn't really caught the imagination of the majority of Canadians trying to make ends meet in an inflationary spiral fueled mainly, (forgive the pun) by the spiking prices of oil and gasoline at the hands of speculators.
Liberals are not by nature forgiving of their leaders twice at the altar and both times as a bridesmaid. Bob Rae and Michael Ignatieff are already waiting in the wings. Both have some baggage and may not be blessed with the mythical "Royal Jelly." Others though may be. This being cottage season for Ontario's twelve million plus residents, it doesn't quite seem by accident this week that cottage country's leading newspaper.."The Lindsay Post" claims Premier Dalton McGuinty is the only "real option" to succeed Stephane Dion: "...if Stephen Harper can only pull a minority government out of the hat when we go to the polls, the fastest and surest way for the Liberals to bring down that minority would be with McGuinty at the helm."
It appears then that a "draft McGuinty" cabal is getting underway, or is about to. As the "The Lindsay Post" suggests: Why not? McGuinty is at the peak of popularity in Canada's largest province. A native of Ottawa...tailor made for the job of Prime Minister. Bilingual, personable with a beautiful family and lovely wife.
In full earnest then: Let the games begin!
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