Angry in the Great White North

Ralph Goodale, Liberal MP, was miffed with NDP leader Jack Layton when Layton suggested that should the Liberals abstain from voting on next week's Throne Speech, the Liberals would suffer at the polls in any upcoming election:

Layton said mass absence will underscore a dire lack of leadership and warned that Liberals could face the wrath of Canadians at the polls.

"The voters will hold them to account and conclude that there's no effective leadership there, that Mr. (Stephane) Dion was unprepared to stand up to the Harper agenda."

Liberal House Leader Ralph Goodale insisted Liberal MPs will discharge their responsibilities in the best interests of Canadians, but called Layton's challenge "a bit much." He said the NDP's role in bringing down the last Liberal government cost Canadians a universal child care program and billions for aboriginal Canadians.

"Mr. Layton's principles are barely skin deep, and quite frankly I will take no lectures from him on how to conduct myself in the Parliament of Canada," he said.

Two observations.

First, as I've suggested earlier, events are conspiring to make the next great battle between the Liberals and the NDP with the winner being Canada's sole left-of-centre party.

My second observation is on Ralph Goodale's apparent attitude towards the exercise of democracy.

I think Ralph Goodale is giving Jack Layton too much credit for costing Canadian a universal daycare program and billions for aboriginal Canadians. As I recall, there was an election. Ralph Goodale and his fellow Liberals tried to convince Canadians to vote the Liberals in sufficient numbers to return the Liberals to power.

The Liberals failed.

But blaming Jack Layton for not propping up the Paul Martin's Liberal minority? I guess that's the same as blaming the election itself, and therefore the voters.

Let's rework Ralph Goodale's words here. I don't think blaming Jack Layton is really fair or accurate.

[Ralph Goodale] said the NDP's role in bringing down the last Liberal government cost Canadians a universal child care program and billions for aboriginal Canadians.

Now we have to rework that struck portion.

[Ralph Goodle] said the nuisance of an election and the ignorance of slack-jawed voters cost Canadians a universal child care program and billions for aboriginal Canadians.

Nah, too wordy. And we don't know that Ralph Goodale thinks Canadians who vote are ignorant or slack-jawed. But he is clearly upset that Jack Layton contributed to having Canadians pass judgement on dozen years of Liberal government, and the appeal of yet another Liberal mandate, policy and promises notwithstanding.

[Ralph Goodle] said democracy cost Canadians a universal child care program and billions for aboriginal Canadians.

Yeah, that captures it nicely. And it's true.