Moley - Day 11

3:20PM - CP is reporting that "A prominent economist commissioned by the Conservatives to assess the financial soundness of their election platform says major items were omitted from the version he was given."

According to Paul Darby from the Conference Board of Canada, the guy who Harper says gave the ok to their numbers in their platform, Harper 'forgot' to include two major pieces in the costing information he was given.

One is their goal of redressing the 'fiscal imbalance', which experts have stated would costs anywhere between $12B and $20B per year. The second 'omission' is their health care
guarantee.

So they lied about the health care wait guarantee? Pretty hard to guarantee health care if you don't allocate any money to it. And not setting any money aside for the 'fiscal imbalance'? Pretty big omissions, don't you think?

Wow - wonder what else they forgot.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060112/tory_platform_060115/20060115?s_name=election2006&no_ads

10:11AM - This morning, CBC hosted a speed-dating session for undecided voters with four political analysts. I am not making this up.

What would have been really interesting would have been a speed dating session with each of the leaders.

Here is how it might have gone...

Undecided voter to Jack Layton: "Dude, why do you keep saying there are more than two choices in this election, I get it! No seriously, stop saying that. Stop it. I will leave if you say there is a third choice one more time. That's it, I am outta here."

Undecided voter to Stephen Harper: "Hey man, just relax. You look pretty stressed out. Smile, laugh a little. Have a glass of wine. You want rosee, really? Ok, why not... Yeah, I guess less taxes would be good. Yeah, I guess $1200 for child care is better than nothing, but I thought the problem was the lack of spaces? Hey man, don't yell at me. Why are you getting all red in the face like that?"

Undecided voter to Paul Martin: "The election is about values? What kind of values - oh, your values, ok. What about your values? They are different from Stephen Harper's, got it. Really different? OK, point taken. Radically different? Wow, ok."

6:49AM - Leak from the Liberal War Room. Paul Martin will announce new money for his New Deal for Cities this morning.

This follows Harper's announcement for cities, which offered money for highways that are...wait for it...not in cities!

And Jack Layton's announcement that...wait for it...who cares!

Specifically here is what the PM announced:
- legislate gas tax for 20 years
- $5B new money for big infrastructure projects in cities
- $1B new fund for community centres