I’m not the only one who’s noticed this.
Cabinet ministers are going to fall. There is a new desperation in the Liberal campaign — a whole generation of Liberal MPs and organizers have never felt what it’s like to lose. They don’t like that feeling, and it shows.
They’re angry. And so they’re telling Martin to be angry — to do something, anything. And so Martin is getting angry at the easy scapegoat, the traditional Liberal whipping boy: Alberta. He really ought to be angry at Ontarians, who are rejecting him for the Conservatives, according to recent polls, by a 10- point margin, or at Quebecers, who are rejecting him by even more.
They used to vote Liberal, and aren’t. But Alberta makes a much more gratifying target.
So last week, Martin blasted Alberta Premier Ralph Klein, calling Klein’s health-care reform package un- Canadian. “Unlike Stephen Harper, I will look Ralph Klein in the eye and I will say ‘no.’,” ranted Martin. From Ontario, of course — not over the phone to Klein privately, not in a memo, but at an election event, using federal-provincial relations as a desperate partisan weapon. “Unlike Stephen Harper, I will defend medicare,” he said — defending it against Klein, the new Liberal demon.
Although nearly every province has private health-care facilities, Martin chose to attack only Alberta.
He did not criticize Ontario and Quebec, with their burgeoning private hospitals. Ontario and Quebec are run by Liberal governments.
The government of Alberta has kept Martin briefed about their proposed changes for months. Martin has never raised an objection, and Anne McLellan, the deputy prime minister, has repeatedly approved of such changes.
So there was no reason to criticize Klein’s plans at all — at least until they provided a scapegoat for the Liberals. And if Klein’s plans provide a scapegoat, so do all the other provinces.
This is not coincidence. This is what the left would call “systemic bias” — an anti-Alberta bigotry.
This hypocrisy needs to be targeted hard by the media. Instead, they’re lining up behind the Liberal canard, awaiting the Klein “bombshell” that Paul Martin is predicting.
Funny how he doesn’t apply the same standards to his own doctor.
hat tipDebbye
Klein himself said his plan might violate the Health Act. He put this out in the middle of the election. Do you think this was an innocent action on his part during such a politically-charged time?
I’m not going to get into conspiracy theories about why or what Klein was doing.
Facts are:
1. his upcoming health proposals were developed with full knowledge and participation of Martin’s own government.
2. Quebec is currently violating the Canada Health act. Where is Martin’s outrage and ultimatums on that province?
3. Why didn’t he take on First Nations plans in Saskatchewan to start up for-profit MRI services?
There were three choices, right off the top of my head. He picked Alberta for his bashfest. It’s hypocrisy. But we already knew that.