Paul Martin strikes again.

In 1994, having just turned 21, I decided to quit my bullshit job selling cars for 60 hours a week in the worst economy in history. "No problem, this is Canada," thought I. "I'll just sit back and collect my birthright, Unemployment Insurance." Boy was I in for a surprise. Our newly minted finance minister Paul Martin had decided he was gonna cut the deficit and he was gonna do it on the backs of the unemployed and those unfortunate enough to get sick. Medical transfers to the province were completely gutted. And "UI" became impossible to get. It has run something like 60 billion in surplus since then in spite of some changes made later to try and win back the lost Maritime vote. This was the first time Paul Martin had an effect on my life. Right around the same time Martin and the rest of the right wing of the Liberal party were embracing globalization and talked Chretien into not cancelling free trade. He had been elected on a promise to do just that. Anyone who is not an economist or a "Blue Liberal" (growth is all that matters, the market will save all) can easily see what a nightmare free trade has been for us ( 100 Gazillion lost manufacturing jobs, massive exploitation of the poor in all three countries, the loss of labour power world wide and a widening of the gap between rich and poor to the size of the Grand Canyon.) By 1997, the year my Grandmother died, Martin's medical transfer cuts and a provincial Conservative gov't had degraded medicare to the point where I honestly believe that financial considerations may have been considered by hospital staff when deciding whether or not it was worth trying to save her. I don't know this for a fact but I have my suspicions. This was damage done when he was not even leader, the worst was yet to come. When Chretien and other actual Liberals finally were unable to hold back Martin and his cronies any longer he finally got his wish and became Prime Minister. During his short reign at the top Martin did more damage to Canada than Brian Mulroney did in eight years. The worst of his moves was committing Canadian troops to Afghanistan. This one comes back to haunt us every time a Conservative is able to comment, "It was the Liberals who got us into this war." This bullshit war should be hanging around the Conservatives' neck like a great big badge of massive failure. Instead, we, the good guys, get to wear it with them. Mr. Martin was also responsible for signing us up to Security and Prosperity Partnership with the evil Americans. To anyone who pays attention and doesn't make their living selling things to Americans this is the biggest threat to Canadian Sovereignty ever. He also passed the first Canadian law ever to include mandatory minimums. If Harper had tried it it wouldn't have made it past the Supreme Court. But because it was a liberal law the court looked at it in a different light and allowed it. This precedent allows Harper to go crazy with the mandatory minimums and the court won't be able to stop him. What a slippery slope. Speaking of the Supreme Court, Martin's appointments seem to have pulled the court to the right. (Allowing fascist security certificates to stand is just one example.) What a fox in the hen house. Mr. Martin also planned to go along with the United States in their missile defence fantasy but huge public opposition changed his mind. Dodged a bullet on that one. Sheila Copps revealed recently that Mr. Martin tried to get her to spearhead the privatization of the CBC. To her credit she refused. Wow an even bigger bullet. This brings me finally to Martin's last gift that keeps on giving. Some actual Liberals tried to push through a bill decriminalizing marijuana. Mr Martin dithered and watered down the bill for his American buddies. Then he never passed it at all. The Conservatives let the bill die after taking office, (of course they did) and as a result the police have started ruining lives again by arresting users. Possession charges are up 50% in some provinces. What a waste of time and money and people's futures. Just today a bullshit study tying marijuana to psychosis was released giving Conservatives more ammo to use the next time the debate comes up. This is defeat snatched from the jaw's of victory. Thanks Paul Martin, thanks for nothing. It is my hope that Chretien's move to stop corporate donations will mean the right-wing will have less of an influence on the direction of the party. If not I guess there is always the NDP.