Angry in the Great White North

From the Hill Times:

Liberal MPs say they don't want to go to the polls next February and are urging Prime Minister Paul Martin not to call an election 30 days after Justice John Gomery releases his final report expected in mid-December, as the PM promised, and are instead pushing for a spring election next year when the hazards of sleet and snow would not be a factor out on the hustings.

"I think, like everyone, I don't want to go through a winter election," said Liberal MP Shawn Murphy (Charlottetown, P.E.I.)

To be fair, the Prime Minister is sticking to his guns:

When pressed again to clarify if he will call an election 30 days after Gomery reports, or if the election will be held in February, March or even May, the Prime Minister replied, "What I was saying was that, no, I made a pledge and I'm going to maintain that commitment. What I was saying was that a number of our Members of Parliament, I suspect, as they're going into an election when the snow and the sleet are going to wish that they had been into an election in May."

Well, that's clear, sort of.

If the backbenchers keep up the pressure though, can Paul Martin resist? He'll need their support to keep his job, especially if the next election results in another minority Liberal government. If that happens, and the Liberal Party members blame a winter election, Paul Martin is toast. If he delays, and they still lose, at least he can argue that he tried his best to improve the timing of the election.

Of course, if the Conservatives win, then there is nothing that'll save Paul Martin's bacon.