Top 10 List - Liberal Spin and Arrogance on Election Call (en francais)

10. "Complaints that, until an election is actually called, Mr. Martin will be able to travel the country, wooing voters, while using the federally funded Challenger jet clearly annoyed Martin but he chose not to answer it directly, saying he needed to be in Toronto to talk about the aboriginal summit with Mr. Campbell." (Globe and Mail, November 11, 2005).

Mr. Campbell's spokesman said the Premier met with Mr. Martin in Toronto because the Prime Minister was already planning to be in the city on other business. (Globe and Mail, November 11, 2005). The only "other business" on Martin’s itinerary in Toronto on Thursday was a speech to a Liberal Party fundraiser, where attendees had to pay at least $1,000 to attend.

9. A senior official in the Prime Minister's Office seemed to be goading the opposition to trigger an election, saying Martin wouldn't be bullied into adopting their timetable. (Toronto Sun, November 14, 2005)

8. "It's like watching chimpanzees trying to ride a unicycle. I don't know what any of it means. People expect government to be at work until such time as the government is defeated. And our position is very simple: if the Opposition want to combine forces and move a motion of non-confidence, that's their right. And they can do so. But come big or go home. " – Scott Reid, Paul Martin’s Director of Communications (CBC Newsworld, Politics, November 11, 2005)

7. "The reality is, we do need some time. We need time to rebuild a federalist option and strengthen a federalist option in ... Quebec and I think that would be in the nation's interest to have that extra time to demonstrate we did learn lessons from the sponsorship scandal." Belinda Stronach (CP, November 8, 2005)

Justice Gomery had this to say about the Liberals being the only federalist option in Canada:

“The inclusion of this recommendation in the Massé Report is an indication of the failure of some members of the Government at that time to consider that any political party other than the Liberal Party of Canada could have a role in promoting federalism in Quebec. This attitude was displayed by the former Executive Director of the Quebec wing of the Liberal Party of Canada, Benoît Corbeil, when he testified. This attitude, which may not have been shared by all members of the Party, is difficult to reconcile with basic democratic values.” (First Gomery Report, p. 69)

I guess Minister Stronach has got to that part of the report yet.

6. "If the opposition brings down the government, warned an election-ready Prime Minister Paul Martin, needy Canadian families won't receive a $250 rebate on energy costs this winter, farmers will be denied mad cow aid and soldiers will not receive the pay raises they so richly deserve. Nor will his government be able to finish its reform of health care or bring the Americans to heel on issues like softwood lumber, warned Chicken Little ... er, the PM.

"And aboriginal Canadians could be denied the first ministers meeting and progress on clean water and better health care in their communities."

We're apparently supposed to forget that his party has been able to do none of the above during more than a decade in power." (Ottawa Sun, November 15, 2005)

5. In December 1979, the Liberals had no problem bringing down the Clark government and forcing an election over the holidays. Among the Liberals voting to force a holiday election on December 13th, 1979 was Jean Lapierre, the current Minister of Transport and Political Minister for Quebec (Division No. 8). Also voting to force an election over the holiday season were Paul Martin’s close advisors and cronies Dennis Dawson and Francis Fox, who Martin appointed to the Senate, as well as Liberal Senators George Baker and Celine Hervieux-Payette. According to Jean Lapierre, Canadians weren’t upset by a holiday election. "WELL, PEOPLE WERE REALLY NICE. THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THAT" (CBC Newsworld, November 15, 2005)

4. The Conservatives also have nominated 274 candidates out of 308 ridings; the New Democrats have nominated 187; and the Liberals 93. (CBC News 15 Nov, 05)

3. "I do not want to have a Christmas election, I want to govern," Martin told reporters on Parliament Hill. (CTV News, 15 Nov, 05)

2."Put up or shut up" was Transport Minister Jean Lapierre's message to the opposition, saying the Sponsorship scandal is behind the Liberals. (Canadian Press, November 14, 2005)

#1 reason why Paul Martin and the Liberals want to delay an election as long as possible?

Dubious Day