But since she is a professional, her column strikes a much better balance.
...That being said, Harper at least is consistent in his political opportunism. He was already cruising along as if there was not a constitutional stop sign in sight during the last election campaign.
Martin, on the other hand, can't seem to help coming to a full stop at every green light along the way. The bill to legalize same-sex marriage would be well on its way to adoption if his government were not running on half its cylinders.
It was less than a year ago that 65 per cent of Canadians voted for federal parties that were openly committed to enshrining same-sex marriage into law. Since then, the Liberal plan to expand the definition of marriage has earned the blessing of the Supreme Court.
On paper, Martin and his government command a majority for their plan in both houses of Parliament. In the Commons, the Liberals can count on the support of the NDP and that of the vast majority of Bloc Québécois members; in the Senate, they lead a substantial majority.
Except that for Martin the question of the equality of same-sex couples is important enough to justify a full-fledged election campaign but not enough to instruct his MPs and his senators to toe the government's line.
If Martin ever acted on his gratuitous election threat to pursue same-sex marriage in a campaign, logic would dictate that he refuse to sign the nomination papers of those of his MPs who oppose their government's bill.
Here PM Martin's rhetoric of bridging the democratic deficit gets in the way...and we keep failing for it.
