The political implications of yesterday's budget - With gossipy update

The vast majority of media pundits and bloggers seem to be suggesting that the Federal budget is basically a snoozer. It's a safe proposal with no 'poison pill' to infuriate the Liberals - and not a whole lot to either cheer or jeer about.

In today's Sun, Christina Blizzard moves on to the underlying political ramifications of the budget, such as Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan's pronouncement that it was a 'missed opportunity' (Flaherty has little for Ontario).

So what, you ask? Well according to Blizzard, the big deal here is that he said it en français. Good French in fact. This from a man who had previously declined to comment in anything but English. She sees this as a sign that Duncan is readying himself for a provincial leadership joust.

Which may put more credence in the rumour that Dalton is planning to move on to Federal politics at some point within his present mandate as Premier of Ontario.

...Federal Liberal Leader Stephane Dion said he will not force an election on the budget. So he gets to hang on to his job longer. I suspect there are more people in Canada who believe the Earth is flat than who are likely to vote for Dion. So once he disappears over the edge of that aforementioned flat Earth, there is wild speculation McGuinty will move to federal politics to restore federal Liberal fortunes...

One can only hope. (That he will move on - and share the misery)

...But if Flaherty's budget was really such a "missed opportunity," then Dion could surely force the issue and vote against it. Sure, he'd precipitate an election, but he'd send a message to voters in this province that he cares about us. Then again, since most ridings in this province -- especially the cities -- vote Liberal with knee-jerk regularity, perhaps he takes our affection for granted....

Did you hear that Ontario? Federal Liberals don't care about us and take us for granted!!!

The more Stephane Dion sits on his hands, the more Dalton McGuinty is going to look like a knight on a white charger poised to deliver the Federal Liberal party from the throes of political impotence.

It may end up as the big battle of two former Ontario premiers for the country's most coveted Liberal position.

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Update: Check this out courtesy of National Newswatch! Liberal decision comes after long, testy meeting - by Globe's Jane Taber:

...Mr. Ignatieff is on the "hawk" side of the caucus. Many of his supporters want to go to the polls now so as not to be seen continually supporting the Tory economic agenda.

But he was shot down, most significantly by national campaign co-chair David Smith, a veteran organizer and senator from Ontario. Mr. Smith said simply that the party wasn't ready to mount a national campaign, one insider said.

Others argued that they should not acquiesce to Mr. Harper by triggering an election that he seems to want; the election should be called on their terms and timing.

"It's a mess," said one MP about the state of play in the caucus over triggering the government's defeat. Some MPs believe that if the campaign team is not ready, after being put on notice as far back as the fall, then the leader should fire them all...

Of course, any regular readers of this blog know who's really pulling the strings.

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Excellent post here by A BCer in Toronto: If not now, when?...