Priorities

In response to the obvious fact that the Cons can in fact take down the Liberal government with only the support of the Bloc if they see fit, Harper emerged today with the worst excuse imaginable:

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper has said he is ready to go to the polls any time but he also indicated again Wednesday that, because of numbers in the House of Commons, an election call depends on the rest of the opposition. Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe has also suggested that he is willing to go to the polls on the issue.

"We have a number of members who for health reasons their attendance is unreliable," Mr. Harper told reporters. "We simply don't have a certainty. Frankly, it's Mr. Layton who has kept the government in office and it is Mr. Layton who has to make that decision."...

"We're willing to bring the government down but we're not willing to lose another vote."

In other words, Harper is more than willing to try to take the step of bringing down the government - as long as there's absolutely no risk involved. And this the day after Harper criticized Layton on the basis that trying to negotiate better policy isn't a good enough reason to hold off on an election.

In sum: in Harper's world, good policy comes only after punishing wrongdoing...but both are subordinate to risk aversion and personal image. And to think the Cons can't figure out why hardly anybody wants to see Harper anywhere near 24 Sussex Drive.