Harper's Budget stalling? saviour-in-waiting? SoCred in PC clothing?

Dear Editors & Mr Radwanski,

Thank you for drawing my attention to "Restoring Fiscal Balance in Canada - Focusing on Priorities" in your excellent piece on May 5/06, "Harper's just getting started"

I agree with your 'stalling-tactic in a minority' analysis, and therefore the point we all must consider is where will Harper try to lead, once he has a majority?

I'm a little more skeptical than you on any cabinet-gov't's ability to do things in a hurry and while I DO think this current bunch have a MISSION and a PLAN, I'm less concerned about Harper-in-gov't than I was when the Liberals were in power, particularly after reading "Restoring ..." as you suggested.

The Liberals mission was to get re-elected, the plan: do anything to achieve it. These Reformed SoCreds in PC clothing have a mission: emancipate the provinces (i.e. the oil-and-gas businesses in Alberta, and if Quebec or somebody else gets emancipated too - all the better) and a plan to accomplish the emancipation by un-bundling taxes/ services/ programs/ responsibilities/ jurisdictions once in majority.

But may I suggest that rather than letting Canadians worry about 'what's up the sleeve' of this cabinet or the next one, AND rather than letting this, or any subsequent administration spend too much time worrying about 'getting tossed out before they can condition the voting public to accept implementation of their bare minimum objectives', that instead, we as voters and taxpayers participate fully in the (piles of) consultations suggested in the Budget 2006 document.

Our one plea, our one demand, our one 'must-have' item at these "all-stakeholder" conflabs - 25 year budgeting.

For if we can see the 'plan' for a generation ahead (along with supporting stats, premises for projections etc), then we will be able to ascertain the direction of the cabinet and be able to discern variations from 'the plan', ask intelligent questions and vote accordingly.

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance, the springboard for installing a poor/bad/'hidden agenda' government is complacency and the vital (now-missing) component in accountability to the public is access to full and comprehensive data.

If we as voters/citizens move up the sovereignty ladder from 'trusting stakeholder/passive taxpayer' and start acting more as 'informed shareholders', DEMANDING accountability from the stewards of OUR assets, OUR liabilities, OUR collective treasury perhaps we'll get the government we deserve.

Stephen(dot)Leacock