When John Hamm finally nailed the federal government to a commitment allowing this province to keep royalties from offshore gas and oil he, like the rest of us, believed a deal is a deal. The deal was lauded and quickly became Hamm's legacy.

However, the Harper Tories have shredded the accord and replaced the 'deal' with an ultimatum of a 'take it or leave it' offer that will reduce potential provincial revenues by more than $1 billion in the short-term alone.

When Harper publicly labeled this province a welfare state steeped in a 'culture of defeatism', Nova Scotians took offense. Now we’re in a state of uncertainty created by the very government that promised to change our have-not status through monies from offshore oil and gas.

With support from the Bloc, the federal Conservatives have managed to push through their spring budget, 'promises' be damned. NDP leader Jack Layton called it a sad day for Atlantic Canada. Layton contends the federal government takes Atlantic Canada for granted and Harper is showing himself to be the same old anti-East redneck he always was.

“We knew that Mr. Harper felt that way earlier on and we're seeing that arrogance and dismissive attitude once again being represented,” Layton said.

Provincial NDP leader Darrell Dexter said the Bluenose Tory MPs who voted with their federal leader were irresponsible, acting in a way that jeopardizes the best interests of our provincial population.

The best that foreign affairs minister Peter MacKay could come up with was to defend the right of Tory MPs to have a free vote on the budget. Politicians in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan urged Tory MPs to vote against the budget, only to watch them follow MacKay's lead and endorse the bill.

Admitting defeat and allowing federal intimidation tactics to control the actions of elected representatives will serve to perpetuate our have-not status for years to come.

In our estimation, we don’t have the aggressive leadership we need. Too much has been surrendered without so much as a whimper and it’s not enough simply to pass the buck along the line and point the finger at federal MPs.

Political accountability is the issue and no stock is as valuable in a minority government situation. The provincial Liberals have finally chosen a leader in Stephen McNeil and voters are beginning to notice the consistent efforts of NDP leader Darrell Dexter to keep the Tories’s feet to the fire.

Judging by the way the premier is flitting about the province handing out money to all and sundry (with fiddle in tow), we sense that an election looms. Either that, or MacDonald is trying to dance around the level of frustration and anger voters have expressed over his government's lack of ability to lead and the cost to subsequent generations of a deal that should have secured our future, but was allowed to slip away.