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The news in Canada is that Member of Parliment Belinda Stronach, one time contender for leadership of the Tories, has defected to the embattled Liberals. It's Christmas in May for Prime Minister Paul Martin and the Grits. For those of you living in the States, and thus blissfully unaware of the rest of the world's news, Canada's Liberal government is facing a possible no confidence vote from the Conservatives (and the separatist Bloc Qu�b�cois, a pairing of strange bedfellows that defies logic). The numbers are so close that every MP counts - they've been putting off a vote because Conservative MP Darrel Stinson is undergoing surgery for cancer ("Dear Darrel, Get better, and stay in bed! - Love, Paul"). Stephen Harper, leader of the Conservatives, has been pushing hard to force an election...not so much now. Poor Stephen...this came out of (pardon the pun) left field. He was all set to push his way into 24 Sussex Drive (think 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Yankees) and now the vote looks uncertain at best. Pity, too, Belinda's ex-boyfriend. He's a Conservative MP, who just a few months ago declared himself "smitten." She smote him, alright. In Belinda's defence, it ought not have been a surprise. She broke ranks with the Conservatives on some major issues, such as same-sex marriage, and always seemed a bit out of place standing on stage with hyper-right Harper. As for her boyfriend, the tabloids have long been murmuring about Belinda and (wait for it) Bill Clinton. Heaven help us. So now Conservatives are going on TV yowling about Belinda the traitor, and how outraged they are. Never mind that they seemed quite content a few months ago when a couple Liberal MP's flipped to the Tories. No outrage then, but I suppose a long memory is a liability in politics. For now we're all breathing a sigh of relief...nobody wanted an election. Though, really, it couldn't be that bad. Canadian elections last a month, no more. And Canadians complain about it! Wouldn't that be lovely in the U.S.? Just one month of idiocy instead of over a freaking year. Just imagine...one month! |
