PM Paul Martin Opens Mouth and Inserts Foot

In an interview with Montreal's La Presse, Prime Minister Paul Martin says he is exasperated at the increasingly acrimonious relationship between the federal government and the provinces.

Martin says he is not prepared to have the Premiers come to Ottawa, whine for a day and demand more money.

Well boo-hoo Mr. Martin. Isn’t your life just one big pain in the ass.

What do you expect from Provincial leaders when the majority of Canadian provinces are struggling under massive debt, running deficits, living with crumbling infrastructure and robbing Peter to pay Paul for health care and educational expenses? What do you expect from Provincial leaders when most provinces are financially struggling from year to year while constantly being reminded of overflowing federal coffers?

Do you expect the Premiers to show up for the annual conference and shake your hand? Do you expect them to thank you for throwing a few scraps their way and to heartily endorse you for re-election? Maybe you would like it better if they just threw you a party and offered to give back some of the pittance Ottawa doles out to the Provinces each year.

No, I doubt you expect any of that to happen. In reality, the asinine statement you made is more likely a plea to take it easy on you because you are staring at a federal election in the coming months. At this point you obviously don’t want more bad press but you can’t expect Provincial leaders to help smooth the way back to Sussex Drive for you. You wanted the top job, you got the top job and if you want to keep the top job you are going to have to work for it.

Remember, the money that you don’t want the Premiers to come to Ottawa and whine about, is not your personal war chest. It’s not a Liberal slush fund and it didn’t just fall from the heavens. This money was gathered from tax payers across the Country and more specifically in each and every one of the Provinces that these leaders represent. This money doesn’t belong to resigning government officials to be used as severance pay. This money doesn’t belong to corrupt advertising agencies and it certainly doesn’t belong to the Liberal party to misappropriate as they please.

This money belongs to the people of the Provinces of Canada who earned it by the sweat of their brow and who want to see it used to better their lives.

Before making any more idiotic statements like the one you made to the reporter for La Presse you might want to take a moment to stop and think. The Premiers know an election is coming and they know that the best chance they have to push their agendas with Ottawa is to do it now. If you don’t realize this fundamental truth, or are not willing to face it, then you don’t even deserve to run for the job of local dog catcher let alone Prime Minister.