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March 16, 2004

It should come as no surprise that many of Paul Martin's promises and proposed initiatives delivered in the Throne Speech last month will receive no financial backing in next week's budget.  Mr. Martin conducted his campaign to become Prime Minister premised on a string of vague, shallow and unfeasible policy commitments, and now continues to practice this pomp with no circumstance from the highest office in the country: 

"Many of Prime Minister Paul Martin's Throne Speech promises will be left unfunded in next week's budget since a shortage of cash means no new programs for health, aboriginals, defence and international affairs."

"Some of Mr. Martin's promises were only outlines and this budget will not take them beyond that into reality."

"On aboriginals, Mr. Martin's Throne Speech last month promised to improve the lives of Canada's native population and deplored current living conditions as "shameful." He has said that aboriginal poverty must become a national "priority like never before.  But last week, he told native leaders the budget would have nothing for them, and focused instead on negotiating new arrangements for the future."

"Municipalities were granted a full reprieve on the goods and services tax they pay, and were promised an acceleration in the commitment of infrastructure funds for urban projects.  The budget will contain the financial language to back up these promises, but it won't contain measures to implement Mr. Martin's commitment to give part of the gasoline tax, or some equivalent measure, to cities to ensure long-term stable funding."

And on, and on, and on the vacant policy pronouncements continue.

Leadership involves tough choices, meaning the ability to make a decision and stick by it.  No one can please everyone all the time, but if people see competence, vision, and most importantly, sincerity, then there is always the ability to win converts.

Unfortunately, Mr. Martin is demonstrating none of these qualities as Prime Minister.  The people of Canada are not an ignorant population, and Martin can only cry wolf so many times before the tolerance of Canadians evapourates.

Currently Mr. Martin is governing by throwing it out there and seeing what sticks. The only thing is, it's hard to determine whether his shovel is being used to dig his own grave, or cover the country in his own brand of special "fertilizer".

Comments? jonathan@tdhstrategies.com