Don Martin: Harper has no one to blame but himself

Interesting piece in the Post -- it may be that the Prime Minister has been too clever by half.

Don Martin: Harper has no one to blame but himself


This Conservative government’s apparent death wish is propelling Canada toward two possible, and equally unthinkable, outcomes: The second federal election inside of two months, or a Liberal-led coalition that includes New Democrat cabinet ministers and a separatist component.


Jittery Canadians and business leaders will tolerate none of the above, so Stephen Harper called a time out last night to give his government another week to avert the crisis.


And yet the Prime Minister showed no intention of changing the circumstances that have put his government in such deep trouble and set up Parliament for a possible handover to untested leadership when a solid, experienced hand is so urgently needed.


No one knows who might blink as the Conservatives fearlessly and foolishly bait their opponents, seemingly eager to be dragged down to defeat over their plan to eliminate a $1.95-per-vote annual tax subsidy for political parties. The plan would all but cripple the opposition, while saving the treasury a paltry $30-million.

...


Notions and motions are floating about that would create a Parliament controlled by Liberals — likely under leadership hopeful Michael Ignatieff or, on an interim basis, his rival Bob Rae — linked to New Democrats and kept afloat by the Bloc Québécois on a vote-by-vote basis.


…

The cause of all this lunacy is the damndest thing. The Conservatives never once mentioned cutting political subsidies during last month’s election campaign; the Prime Minister never raised it during his consultations with rival party leaders three weeks ago; and it was conveniently omitted from a Throne Speech that passed late Thursday night in the Commons.


Now this proposal has been elevated into a matter of such consequence that it’s the hill this government has chosen to die on — unless saner minds prevail.


That’s why Stephen Harper has to wear this political mess himself. He personally ordered the incendiary paragraph inserted into Thursday’s fiscal update, ignored warnings from his own MPs who felt it was a lousy idea and clearly under-estimated his opponents’ resolve to defend their cash at any political price.


And let there be no doubt: this is all about money, not a lofty political principle. Without the taxpayer’s per-vote subsidy, the financially stressed opposition parties lose offices, staff and leader travel benefits. It could take years to make up the lost financial ground by revamping their lazy and unimaginative fundraising operations.


…

At best, the Conservatives have ruined any prospect of a functional Parliament. At worst, they’ve given us — shudder — Prime Minister Stéphane Dion or one of his replacements with an unwieldy gaggle of bi-party cabinet ministers unprepared to govern in difficult times.


Either way, that makes this showdown an unforgivable breach of the trust voters bestowed on Mr. Harper. He was elected to lead a minority government with a spirit of co-operation.


He thought he had set a deadly trap for his opponents. He may well find himself as the victim.

Story here: http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2008/11/28/don-martin-harper-has-no-one-to-blame-but-himself.aspx