Silly Little Country

Hoist on one's own Petard

I was one of the few Ontarians who actually had a lot of sympathy for Bob Rae when he was the premier of my province. So it is actually a lot of fun to read this today.

I must confess that while I did invest in an airplane company, save industrial towns, advance pay equity and spend heavily in housing and transit during my time as premier, it never occurred to me to pay people to sod their lawns, rebuild the docks at their summer cottages and pave their driveways.

With the impeccable sense of timing that has marked my career, my wife and I chose to renovate last year. But next spring we shall be joining millions of Canadians in saying “sod it.” And then sending you the bill.

Don't get me wrong. I am not sure it is a good thing in general to "save industrial towns" or "advance pay equity", or, in fact, do any of the things he credits himself with. But there is a turnabout here, and Rae has a right to rant. And that second paragraph above shows an entertaining sense of irony. In fact I too recently completed extensive renovations, unsubsidized by the current 'stimulus package'.

You have learned that deficits are not the product of the devil incarnate, but happen when there are recessions. You will regret that your every prior thought is in print.

Harper's MA Thesis is now being examined. It may provide us some entertainment as we proceed.

posted by Alan Adamson @ 12:29 PM