Prime Minister Paul Martin addresses the nation tonight…setting the stage for what will no doubt be a very ugly general election sometime in June.
I think it’s a bold strategy — but it’s risky. What exactly can we expect from him? What exactly is he going to say?
Most of the opposition parties are crying foul, but I’m not terribly concerned…he’s the Prime Minister. It’s his decision and his right to address the nation whenever he feels like it. Only three times in Canadian history has a Prime Minister addressed the nation on television, and I’d only classify one (the 1970 October Crisis) as truly an emergency (Mulroney’s bleeting on Meech Lake doesn’t even come close).
What does fascinate me about tonight’s address is the one thing I’ve been wondering for a long time: will the Prime Minister apologize? For the sponsorship scandal? For any real or imagined transgressions?
NDP leader Jack Layton has some interesting comments regarding an apology:
…he added that if Mr. Martin apologized for the actions taken by the Liberal Party and will change the way the party works, the NDP would “see what we can do” to support the Liberals.
So…will it be an apology? Will it be a justification? A plea? It will be interesting, to be sure…and I’m certainly going to watch.
