As I sat here working away on another proposal, I caught one Norman Doyle, the Conservative member of parliament for St. John's North, chatting with Bill Rowe on his afternoon talk-show.
He was defending the Connie position that people shouldn't look on a federal election, as he put it, "as an inconvenience".
Excuse me, Norm? The public has never suggested in any poll that an election is an inconvenience. Ever. In fact they are adamant they view an election as unnecessary. Unneeded and unwelcome. They want election after they have all the facts from Justice Gomery's report.
Unfortunately for Norman, his leader - Stephen Harper - is hell bent on driving everyone to the polls so Norm must toe the party line. Norm must sacrifice his own personal credibility for the wave of nonsense emanating from Harper's clique. Norman also knows that Harper's position is at odds with the wishes of the Canadian people.
Norman also knows that in a few days we will be in an election and the offshore money will be but a faint dream if the Connie's get elected as government. Stephen Harper never ever supported the offshore deal; he has another idea entirely. Norm will be running hard to convince the people of his riding the deal is actually safe if the government falls, given that his Leader today announced his party will definitely be voting against Bill C-43 - the budget bill including the offshore money.
But if that wasn't bad enough, Norm went right off Red Cliff when he actually said that the current government is "totally corrupt".
Sheer, out-and-out crap, Norm. You know it is crap and yet you said it.
Unfounded accusations like that are one of the refuges of the truly desparate.
I can appreciate his tough spot.
If he votes with his party, defeats the budget and the government, he has screwed the province out of $2.0 billion.
If he votes with the province's offshore interests, he may well keep the Liberals in power and thereby earn the hatred of his Connie colleagues.
For Loyola, I can only wish such a Hearn-iated decision on the pretend-MP for St. John's South- Mount Pearl.
I actually feel sorry for Norm Doyle.
Genuinely, truly sorry.