Re: Response to Dave Hickie Article

Typical Liberal Spin

Local Liberal Party organizer Dave Hickie uses typical Liberal spin in an attempt to show the present government as the victim and not the victimizer, when the opposite is true.

Paul Martin has guaranteed an election in the middle of winter and whether it costs more now than later is hardly the issue.

The Finance Minister with respect to the first budget and before the issue of confidence arose, stated, “It creates the discipline of pay as you go, not spend as you like. It ensures that the decisions we make today do not become the debts our children will have to bear.” He went on to say he would only consider technical changes.

The Minister does not deny over $23 billion of announcements since February 2005, but maintains only $10 billion is new money. In all of this a $4.6 billion deal was made with the NDP, simply to cling to power.

The issue however is bigger than that.

The moneys that disappeared in the Sponsorship Scandal and some of which testimony show was funneled back to the Liberal Party took place illegally. The Prime Minister in his televised address stated, “I am sorry…that I wasn’t more vigilant, public money was misdirected and misused.”

Is what happened in the Sponsorship any worse than what happened in the House? The Prime Minister delayed the confidence vote by taking away Supply Day motions and placing them at the end of May, by cluttering the House with Committee Reports and filibustering on debate so the issue of confidence could not be brought. The Opposition then placed the issue of confidence indirectly before the House and won it 153 – 150 and that without the Speaker’s intervention.

The Prime Minister didn’t recognize this vote. Even if he was right, the issue of confidence was raised, and in my opinion, he had a Constitutional obligation to bring his own motion of confidence forward at the earliest opportunity. In my mind, that was by no later than Monday, May 16th. Instead, for his convenience, he delayed it until Thursday, all the while using the levers of government, the power of government, making spending promises, using a government jet and making deals during a period of time he should not have had access to these resources.

He did all of this openly, while in my opinion, he was not entitled to do so and thereby, in my view, illegitimately continuing to cling to power until he could legitimize government. This is wrong and therefore this government should be brought down at the first reasonable opportunity.

Democracy has been the victim, not the Liberal Party. That’s the reality of the situation, despite Liberal ideological prattle.

Ed Komarnicki, MP
Souris-Moose Mountain