On clear statements

Lest anybody think that the apparent temporary agreement between Jack Layton and Ralph Klein went any further than both seeing through the empty promises of Martin and Harper, Jack took the opportunity to set the record straight:

NDP Leader Jack Layton today delivered a blunt warning to Alberta Premier Ralph Klein.

“Back off. You are not going to destroy public health care,” Layton said. “New Democrats won’t let you.”

Layton was responding to the Alberta government’s decision to spend $1.5 million on a consultant’s study on how to introduce private, for-profit insurance companies into the province’s health care system. Layton also had harsh words for the failure of Paul Martin and Stephen Harper to defend medicare in Canada.

“The Liberals are avoiding the responsibility of standing up for Canada and Canadians – with action – not election rhetoric,” Layton said. “And the Conservatives? They’ve become today’s Liberals in a hurry.”

Of course, Klein's acknowledgment that Layton should be taken seriously on health care is probably still awaiting use in a future Liberal attack ad. But those people paying attention will know better than to believe a word Martin's war room has to say - as they already should when it comes to the Libs trying to lump Layton in with Harper and Duceppe.