If Harper hadn't allowed the Liberal drop in popularity to seduce him into making such a transparent power grab, Martin wouldn't have had to do the deal with Layton so I think the budget would have been a better one. Harper had already indicated his intention to support the original budget so he would have, IMHO, gained support for not playing politics, especially with such an important bill. If he'd simply followed the line that Canadians expected this minority gov't to get to work, that they're not ready for another election, that Martin was innocent until proven guilty by Gomery, and that it looked downright subversive to be teaming up with the Bloc to defeat the elected government just because they'd dipped in popularity, I think Canadians would have viewed him as a responsible parliamentarian.hjwolf69 said:
Harper's problem is that people in Ontario are still skeptical about him. Until recently, they suspected him of having a hidden right wing agenda but now they'll add lousy judgement, disrespect for the work of parliament, ignorance or disregard for the rules of parliament, impatience, blind ambition etc. to his list of faults.
If Belinda hadn't left and if she'd voted against the Liberals, Harper would've toppled the Liberal minority so he'd have looked like a winner until the next election. Then I believe the voters would have pummelled him for his obstructionist stance in parliament and for forcing an unnecessary election. Most Canadians wanted to wait for Gomery but Harper, with his usual paternalistic zeal, just couldn't respect that. And now, with the departure of Belinda, he also appears intolerant of moderate voices in his party. It is almost irrelevant whether Belinda left or not because he'd put himself in such an awkward place, he'd get fucked either way. He made all the wrong choices on gay marriage and he did the same thing this time. He needs a good strategist and a swift kick up the ass.
