Polls and Promises the Art of selling out Newfoundland and Labrador

Finally it appears that all political parties in Ottawa are going to hold Harper and his cronies to account. The lying, cheating, and misleading all leave a bad taste in the mouths of Canadians.

I sat and watched the budget yesterday - and wondered - what is the truth? Is Flaherty telling me the truth? Then I quickly reminded myself that he and his colleagues have cooked up some more politics, partisan tripe, and outright spin to see if they can't make it on third down? If all else fails Harper might want to try the US to see if he can make the end line of a fourth down attempt or just agree to pack it in and kick it off to the other team.

What I liked most about the commentary yesterday was the corporate elite telling Canadians - we do not want another election. Banks broadcasting that they was a 5 fold return on investment in the next quarter or half and major faceless shareholders drooling over yet more corporate tax cuts. Corporations do not vote! They do not own our election process - although arguably own quite a number of our politicians.

Then there were the media gurus who had Jack Layton supporting the budget before he left the House - only to be wrong as Jack first took to the mics. You got to give him his due - the Leader of the NDP - as he waited and waited for the Bloc and Liberals to state the obvious - and then after all were finished he arrived to a throng of childlike reporters hanging on to his every word.

Perhaps this election will see the virtual end to the Green Party and perhaps the birth of another to take its place. At the moment the Green's appear to be one very large employer for Elizabeth May and one very considerate draw on taxpayer voting dollars. I would like to see a few more parties in Canada - with choices more like the Bloc but for the rest of us. We need somebody to push for the real changes we need such as reform or abolition of the Senate, the restructuring of our confederation, equity for smaller provinces, equalization that does not punish the development of non-renewable resources, and parties that recognize that people not corporations - vote.

If they want to talk about fiscal responsibility as the Conservatives love to yammer on about - let's try to let them sink or swim on their own - the Conservatives do this but to average Canadians not failing mega-corps. Jim Flaherty like some of his past colleagues (now residing in corporate positions) believe they work for banks - not Canadians. When Flaherty gives yet another tax break to the largest of the largest publicly traded conglomerate - he his doing so with our money - not his.

We will soon find out if political prostitution is alive and well in our province - as we all await what Ms. Dunderdale will recommend to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. Will she forget about the 10 billion lost when Harper lied to Williams and to our people - just to fan dangle a loan guarantee for the Muskrat Falls development. A loan guarantee that we would not need if Harper had not screwed us on equalization - rendering our oil revenues a punishment not a mover for our long-term economic stability. Will our Premier - so desperate for the Emera deal - ignore the injustices perpetrated by the Harper administration and move us toward negotiating away even more of our future for that line to Nova Scotia?

The Harper government really needed to shut down the string of lies, deception, and manipulative practises - and so they completed a half-arse election budget knowing that an agreement would not be reached with other parties. Funny it is - watching Harper govern as a majority despite the minority reality - and up until yesterday the other parties allowed this to be.

And so today as I listen to the pundits tell me over and over again on our national media circuit - that Canadians do not want an election - I will remind myself that I must be in the minority - one who believes that parliamentary rules do matter - the truth from politicians must be paramount - and that these elected representatives are answerable to the people  not the creepy animated character in some bank advertisement.

Where do I mark my X - I am still on the ABC campaign - as I assume our Premier will be. I wonder if Harper will "promise" a loan guarantee to Dunderdale for the hydro legacy of shame and if Dunderdale will accept that promise like others before her? Will she join the long list of politicians who will sell out this province cheaply and conservatively?