Canada is a funny place, where the bits add up to more and less than the whole depending on what week it is in relation to the recycling pick-up. Consider March 2006:
“It is important that all members of our caucus have every opportunity to advance important issues. The regional caucus structure will help give all of our caucus members more opportunities to fully represent their constituents,” said Prime Minister Harper.
Flash forward to June 2007:
Mr. MacDonald, who has been quietly trying to find a compromise with Ottawa since the federal budget was tabled three months ago, has now openly split with his federal cousins, joining Newfoundland’s Conservative Premier Danny Williams, who said the budget is a betrayal of Atlantic Canada. Mr. MacDonald plans to appear before the national news media to make his case. There are national consequences, he said, if the federal government can rip up agreements with provinces.
Saskatchewan Premier Lorne Calvert, who has his own bone to pick with Mr. Flaherty about resource revenues, said voters in his province will expect its dozen Tory MPs to follow Mr. Casey’s example and vote against the budget. Mr. Calvert is a New Democrat; no New Democrats were elected from Saskatchewan in the last federal election.
Hmmm…will they even have any members from out east after next time? Second “hmmm”…so which regions are left from which Conservative caucus members can fully represent their constituents? Quebec I suppose, though the recent provincial election was hardly clear cut evidence of regional confidence in Ottawa. Funny old times.