Angry in the Great White North

First, we have Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff.  He has told the country that even though he is allowing the Conservative budget to pass, the Conservatives are on a tight leash:

[NDP leader Jack] Layton and [Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles] Duceppe's strong reaction put Ignatieff on the defensive in the House of Commons, where he denied during budget debate there is any Liberal alliance with the minority Conservative government and vowed to hold Harper "on a very tight leash."

Oh, sorry.  Not just a tight leash.  A very tight leash.  So when Michael Ignatieff is faced with a party revolt stirred up by Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams, Ignatieff turns to Stephen Harper, who is struggling against that very tight leash.  Or maybe not struggling as much as we think:

Mr. Ignatieff allowed his MPs the unusual move of breaking with caucus after several days of frantic negotiations and a telephone call by the Liberal Leader to the Prime Minister asking him to delay the measure that penalizes the province. Mr. Harper refused.

Harper, change that part of the budget.  Uh, no.

OK, Harper, then delay that part of budget.  Hmmm, no.

Please.  Really.  I'm getting frantic here.  Oh, in that case...no.

Ignatieff's pathetic display is compounded by Danny Williams.  For all his bluster, the budget stands unchanged, and Michael Ignatieff's leadership is damaged.  Of course, Danny Williams tries to make this sound like a victory:

Premier Danny Williams says in allowing this province's Liberal members to vote their conscience, Michael Ignatieff has shown he's taking all views and concerns into consideration. Williams says Ignatieff is showing real courage early in his leadership. Premier Williams is making no apologies for his latest set-to with the federal government.  Williams says the province's stance on such an important issue was not in vain.

Letting a bunch of MPs buck the party position instead of standing up to Danny Williams is courage?  Seems like Michael Ignatieff is taking the easy way out to me.  But then describing the situation as it really is, that is that Stephen Harper stood his ground while Michael Ignatieff folded under pressure, just won't do for Danny Williams.  Not since Danny Williams has thrown his support behind Michael Ignatieff and his so-called very tight leash.

People in Newfoundland and Labrador might ask if Danny Williams is really doing his province any favours with the way he's been handling federal-provincial relations, and with the choices he's been making.   Danny Williams might get away with treating Newfoundland and Labrador as a rotten borough, but if enough people wake up, that could change.