Will they hit the road, Jack?

Looks like the decision on whether we will have to endure a spring election is in the social democratic hands of Mr. Layton.

It appears the faltering Liberals and my friends, the self-absorbed Bloquistes, will not support the March 22nd budget, so it will fall to Jack Layton and the NDP to decide if we spend about $300 million on an election Canadians clearly don't want with results probably not so different from what we have now.

With probably fewer Canadians than ever bothering to vote. A cold spring will make voters crankier than usual.

And what's worse is that it would prevent the PM from attending the royal wedding.

Can't have that, such a pity.


Suspended without pay

Can things get any worse at Montreal City Hall?

We learned this week that 16 blue collar workers have been disciplined for faking their time sheets.

Disciplined? Made to sit in the corner? Actually it was much worse; they were suspended without pay.

That punishment is ridiculously light.

These guys would go to work, then go home, then come back at the end of their shifts to punch out.

If any employee in a private company would do the same they would be out the door in less than a New York minute.

Whether it's time or office supplies, stealing is stealing. This is what we are getting for our taxes Mr. Mayor. Good job.


La Colisee... Videotron?

The Quebec City hockey psychodrama took a new turn this week.

(It really is fun to watch all of the breathless reporting and end-of-the-world pronouncements coming out of the capital on this.)

Some private money is going toward the project. Quebecor will get naming rights and run the new arena.

Of course as provincial taxpayers we are still on the hook for a couple of hundred million dollars. At least the feds knew enough to stay away from this political turkey; they couldn't fund a Quebec City arena without doing the same everywhere from Moose Jaw to Come by Chance.

And the mayor of Quebec, the ebullient Regis Labeaume, has the temerity to call Ottawa's reluctance "suicidal."

Your worship, with all due respect, it's my money.

And again, with all due respect, I checked: you still don't have an NHL team.


Bellemare is slinking away

Finally, it looks like Marc Bellemare is taking his ball and going home.

He won't sue the premier if the premier doesn't sue him.

After everything was said, all the allegations the finger pointing the name calling the $6 million of the Bastarache commission, the erstwhile justice minister has had enough.

Good for us, I guess. At least we won't pay for long trials.

Bellemare started this circus which led to a political crisis, but he is refusing to take it to the logical conclusion.

He says it has already cost Quebecers too much.

That's the one thing he got right.