Modest To A Fault

No sooner is the federal election of 2008 concluded than Jack Layton gives warning to the prime minister that he personally will not find it acceptable should Stephen Harper not seek to govern as a conservative Conservative. That dread hidden agenda which the opposition leaders keep warning Canadians to be wary of, and which Canadians gave insufficient heed to, is set to rear its ugly head.

That's not the conservative-led government that Canadians have been exposed to, however, over the last two and a half years. Seems that the Conservative-led government decided to tamp down its right-leaning agenda, much to the chagrin and even anger of its traditional right-wing supporters who complain that the prime minister has abandoned Conservative ideology.

He hasn't. He's a cautious leader, sensitive to the mood of the public, and quite aware of what Canadians will accept as government policy, and what they will disdain, forcefully. He has bartered in no small part, his personal values toward a moderate view that as prime minister his decisions must more closely reflect the values of Canadian society as a whole.

There are some issues upon which he will remain adamant, others that he grants concessions toward; we've seen that happen, and it has given us confidence in the man. He is capable of compromise while adhering to his position, capable of absorbing the need to be reasonable and reasonably compliant on some issues. He does not, as does Mr. Layton, fulminate lavishly and eloquently grandstand.

Prime Minister Harper has been placed on notice by Mr. Layton, however: "He should respect Parliament and respect the results of the election, and we'll proceed in the recognition of that fact." Mr. Layton generously intoned, having forgiven the memory-impaired, intellectually-unaware voting public for denying him the opportunity at this time, to govern the country.

He is, however, satisfied with the breakthroughs his party has made in areas of the country where success has heretofore eluded them. "I'm very satisfied that we were successful in putting the issues of everyday families onto the agenda of the election". A feat only he was capable of succeeding in; no other party, no other leader being interested in accomplishing that.

"Of course, we still have some more work to do before I will be able to succeed in the campaign to become prime minister." There. Now we're on notice. Hold your breath, Jack. Fact is, the New Democratic Party will gain back some of its long-time disheartened supporters, once you're replaced as leader.