| True Grit |
24 November 2003
|
Paul Martin Will Succeed Jean Chretien as Canada's Prime Minister
Ask an American who the Prime Minister of Canada is, and one usually gets a blank stare in response. Among the minority of Yanks who know Canada is an independent country with its own history and system of government, most of them will say that they know who it is, they just can't pronounce the name. With the departure of Jean Chretien and the arrival on Paul Martin, Jr. on December 12, they will be able to pronounce the name, they just won't know who he is. They will learn soon enough.
Mr. Martin has been the Finance Minister of Mr. Chretien's Liberal government for quite some time. It was he who slashed the Federal government's spending in 1995, "marking the end of Canada as we know it," as one left-wing politician said. The result was the first budget surplus in 28 years. Canada's financial house is in order, thanks to Mr. Martin.
What was most astonishing about that budget was the joy with which Canadians donned their hair shirts. Mr. Martin, a formidable politician, cut spending but did such a terrific selling job that the government's popularity actually went up. For many, this marked the beginning of his feud with the prime minister, who they say could tolerate no applause and cheers that were not his own.
Mr. Martin has out-lasted his rival, and at 65, he probably has enough time ahead of him to make his mark. To get his way, though, he'll have to do something that Mr. Chretien did not -- fight a united right. However, to underestimate him would be folly. The Speech from the Throne in January will mark the beginning of a premiership that will be drastically different from Mr. Chretien's if only because the two men are so different. The Canadian Liberals were nicknamed the "Grits" years ago, and one can expect Mr. Martin to show just that in the next twelve months, grit.
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