Why Conservatives Should Thank Chuck Cadman

Forget the lack of so-called “decorum,” the name-calling, the opportunism of the Liberals and the motives of Belinda Stronach. Who cares? If you are keeping your eye on the prize, for the first time in a long time, Canadians actually got out of a federal government what they have been saying for over a decade that they want: a return to activist government which operates in their interests and not in the exclusive interests of corporations and the wealthy. And they got it because the NDP's leader Jack Layton was able to leverage just 19 seats — a fifth of what the over-represented Conservatives have — to achieve a package of progressive funding arrangements for the environment, cities, affordable housing, child care and universities. All the machinations aside, that is what happened on May 19 as the Liberal government managed to win a budget vote by the skin of its teeth. Harper can't win There is, of course, no need to get delusional about what happened. Paul Martin, in his best of all possible worlds, is as obedient a hand maiden of Bay Street as ever walked the halls of Parliament. As finance minister for nine years he did more to dismantle the fabric of Canada's social programs than even Brian Mulroney dared to do — and in the process also managed to give obscene tax breaks to the wealthy and to large corporations that also out-paced Mulroney. And it is a certainty that Martin supports Bay Street's “deep integration” initiative by which what is left of Canada would be handed over to the US — a sacrifice in the interests of Canadian corporations who can't compete with their US counterparts. He is deeply committed, as well, to massive privatization through public private partnerships — a program that has simply been put on the shelf waiting for a Liberal majority. Full article: http://www.rabble.ca/columnists_full.shtml?x=39474

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