Liberals in no shape to lead

What are they thinking?

What are the Liberals up to? They want to seize power during an international economic recession – possibly depression. They have no leader, or even a policy or feel for what’s happening on the world financial scene. They will claim next Monday they have no confidence in Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s plan to deal with the current international economic crisis.

Apparently, the steady at the helm, cooperate with the provinces and international partners approach is not enough - or the plans to institute infrastructure renewal programs or seriously consider aid packages to certain pivotal sectors, albeit next year.

The NDP needs no excuse for whatever their antics as things unfold over the next while. They’re always going to up for a lark as long as they are a protest party – unlike their counterparts in many provinces. If nothing else, leader Jack Layton will be amusing, especially as an anticipated falling out among coup plotters builds up like sink crud.

Regardless of what transpires next Monday, the damage has been done. Confidence is eroded, and mutual trust among the parties is long gone.

The only thing for sure is, regardless of public support, a certain faction of the Liberals will do anything to get back in power. They would even allow untried NDP MPs cabinet roles and will further pay off the Bloc Quebecois to accomplish the coup.

It is the worst nightmare of centre Liberals of the Martin heritage – or decent folk of any stripe. It’s a nightmare we’ll all be living soon.

I can’t for the life of me figure why they would want to seize control of a country that needs an even hand right now. The international scene needs the confidence of someone like Harper representing Canada; not Stephane Dion, or whomever. That’s an issue: who is going to be the prime minister of this cabal?

The Liberal leader who bobs to the surface of this political cesspool will get the blame for anything that takes place. Voters may forget about sponsorship scandals or alleged aid to terror suspects, but endangering their livelihoods and those of their children - we’re talking serious political fallout for generations to come.

The reemergence of Jean Chretien at the beginning of all this was obscene. It was a scornful, playful geste at a time of severe international economic crisis.

In fact, the Harper government has done much to prepare for the crisis - as much as anyone could in such a cloud of mystery. It began long before the crisis became wildly acknowledged. And the prime minister had reportedly cautioned of something coming down the pike.

The extent of the crisis was, and remains, the great unknown.

Any aid to the auto sector or even forestry has to be realistic, and in concert with the new Barack Obama presidency, which doesn’t begin until, well, next year.

The same goes for public infrastructure work. We have yet to see how much or if the sectors recover, and how many workers are available for projects.

We can only wonder if Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams, and others who took his view, are satisfied with their handiwork. Williams has said, with his province’s new wealth, the days of the Newfie joke are over. Probably so; his own actions during the last federal election were far from funny.