Angry in the Great White North

The Ontario Liberals will spend more money if it means getting matching funds from the federal Conservatives:

The Ontario government is prepared to match federal funding for infrastructure projects, a move that could saddle the province with a larger deficit, says Finance Minister Dwight Duncan.

"We do agree that the need for stimulative infrastructure investment is important," he told reporters yesterday. "We have a huge infrastructure deficit, even with the money governments are putting out."

Premier Dalton McGuinty also commented last night on the unprecedented wave of spending plans announced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government ahead of today's federal budget, including a $4-billion infrastructure stimulus fund and $1.5-billion for training programs for laid-off workers.

Dalton McGuinty isn't going to complain.  He thinks it's fair for Stephen Harper to expect Dalton McGuinty to share the deficit pain:

"I think that's fair," he said. "The whole purpose of the stimulus package and our combined efforts is to make commitments to do things that we hadn't originally planned to do."

Amazingly, the warm and fuzzy feelings don't stop there.  Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan speculates on why Stephen Harper is being so accommodating:

Mr. Duncan attributed Ottawa's new generosity to a willingness to work with the provinces to help stimulate the economy. "It appears to be a conversion on the road to Damascus," he said.

St Paul converted while alone on the road to Damascus because he experienced an epiphany.  None of the people who were accompanying St Paul were a party to the conversion.

So Dwight Duncan is saying that Stephen Harper has come to a realization, on his own, that the budget needs to invest in infrastructure, even if it means going into deficit.  As with St Paul, Stephen Harper is now a true believer, or at least that is the metaphor Dwight Duncan is using.

Dwight Duncan is pointedly avoiding a different metaphor, the one of an unredeemed villain who is compelled to behave or suffer dire consequences.  That metaphor fits a different framing of the story.  In this version of the story, Stephen Harper is presenting this budget only because Michael Ignatieff has masterfully boxed in the prime minister.  Moreover, Stephen Harper will abandon his current path at the first opportunity and revert to prior bad bahaviour, requiring constant vigilance by the federal Liberals, at least until they can regain power.

I bet I know which metaphor Michael Ignatieff wishes Dwight Duncan was using.  Calling Stephen Harper a convert and a true believer who is acting in a balance and fair manner is not helpful.  And no credit to Michael Ignatieff for prompting this conversion?  Not helpful at all.