speculation or fate?

Dion's leadership may be heading for palliative care
Don Martin, CanWest News Service March 03, 2007

It's also a tad too quiet in the Liberal backrooms. Instead of the clanking as Dion's positions are dismantled, they should echo the sound of a party platform being hammered together, just in case there's a snap election next month.

Ahhh, yes, the mythical spring election. If Harper can figure out a way to recall all those quotes about being so very satisfied with his current mandate and override his argument that Canada needs fixed election dates to prevent some power-hungry prime minister from dropping the writ just because the polls look promising, good luck to him.

But for Harper to unilaterally seek the Governor General's election blessing for a spring vote would be a flip-flop on a scale dwarfing even Dion's regular mind changes.

It's my view, one that's increasingly in the minority, that an election won't happen.

Still, if Canada votes in a couple months for an unimproved Dion, his leadership is heading for palliative care.

That's why leadership rivals like Bob Rae, Michael Ignatieff, Martha Hall Findlay and Gerard Kennedy are so determined to run in the next election. It's all about the Liberal party's future, they'll argue - specifically theirs as its next leader if Flipper drowns in a blue Conservative sea.