Angry in the Great White North

If Stephen Harper had not delayed the confidence vote until next week, Stephane Dion and his co-conspirators, including the Quebec separatists, would have taken power.  The plotters tried to ease the concerns of frightened Canadians by promising that Jack Layton's NDP socialists would not control the purse strings.

Knowing that Canadians would never agree to the NDP in control of the economy, but also realizing that his coup partners would never accept being frozen out of key cabinet positions, Stephane Dion and the Liberals tried to square the circle by going outside of parliament for economic advice:

There are two former premiers, a former prime minister and a former finance minister, all with strong records of public service and economic credentials.

Known informally as the “four wise men,” Roy Romanow, Frank McKenna, Paul Martin and John Manley have agreed to form a body of economic advisers in the event of the formation of a Liberal-NDP coalition government.

If everything goes according to script, the quartet will draw comparisons to the team assembled south of the border by U.S. president-elect Barack Obama, who has called on experienced hands to help him deal with the financial crisis.

Steve Patten, a political scientist at the University of Alberta, said the four retired Canadian politicians are key to the credibility of a coalition government, which will face widespread attacks from the Conservatives. Already, Conservative officials are criticizing the NDP's past economic policies in an attempt to undermine the coalition's standing with voters.

“Strategically, it's a wise move,” Prof. Patten said. “The four are well known and they have strong reputations in progressive as well as in fairly conservative circles, so it adds legitimacy to the coalition.”

Strategically a wise move, but in truth, just a lie to help calm Canadians as their elected government was usurped.

You see, there was no agreement.  John Manley and Frank McKenna have not agreed, and in fact, have explicitly said they want no part of this:

Frank McKenna and John Manley - both former Liberal cabinet ministers who now work on Bay Street - indicated they do not intend to be part of an economic advisory panel the Liberals and NDP said would instill business confidence in a coalition government.

Late last night, sources close to Mr. McKenna confirmed that he had been asked to be part of the panel, but declined due to existing commitments with TD Financial Group, where he serves as deputy chair.

Mr. Manley said separately that he had not signed on.

"I've heard about this, but I haven't agreed to do anything," he said in a political podcast on globeandmail.com.

"And I have, quite frankly, no idea what the role of this panel would be intended to be, who it would advise, under what circumstances, how it relates to the different ministries, and whether the putative prime minister, Mr. [Stéphane] Dion, actually wants it, and would welcome the advice."

And Roy Romanow?

Mr. Martin and Mr. Romanow could not be reached for comment last night. Mr. Romanow's wife indicated that her husband was also surprised by a report that he'd be among the panel, saying "there was a little bit of a question mark" about where the information came from.

Only Paul Martin seems to be in.  Four wise men is now one has-been.

The whole thing was an attempt to trick business leaders:

According to coalition sources, the idea of an advisory panel was raised to ensure domestic and international business confidence in a Liberal-NDP cabinet. Some business leaders have voiced concerns about NDP membership in a federal cabinet.

I guess they have reason to be concerned.  Indeed, telling this whopper about an advisory panel in order to mask the level of control the NDP will have over the budget ought to give these business leaders concern about just much control the NDP would have.  I mean, if the plan was to keep the NDP marginalized in cabinet, at least economically, then there would not have been any reason to imagine this advisory panel.

If the confidence vote had happened on Monday, we would be learning the truth about this non-existent panel too late.

Prorogue parliament.  Canadians need time to learn what other lies are lurking behind the words and promises of the separatist coalition.