Ottawa — Canada’s democratic deficit rose four per cent in the first three months of 2004, the Ministry of Finance reported today.
The rise is mainly due to Paul Martin’s announcement in March that he would delay the Ottawa Centre by-election until Nov. 29, his appointment of candidates in British Columbia and Quebec, and politically motivated delays by the Liberal Party’s so-called “green light committee”.
Media concentration had already driven the deficit to heights not seen since the all-time postwar high reached during the imposition of the War Measures Act in 1970. Forecasters warn that the figures still don’t take into account Paul Martin’s impending appointment of B.C. party president Bill Cunningham over the wishes of local riding officials.
Bond rating agencies are expected to downgrade Canadian democracy should the democratic deficit continue to rise. According to observers, Canada’s current rating of “Pretty Damn Close to a One-Party State” could fall as low as “Banana-esque” or even “Might As Well Be Alberta.”
