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EDITORIAL

Paul Martin's New World

August 25, 2003

From the annual summer Liberal caucus pow-wow, Prime-Minister-In-Waiting Paul Martin is finally talking.

Letting it be known that he intends to distance himself from the Jean Chretien years, Martin gave new meaning to the term doublespeak: "I’m very, very proud of the record of the government but, at the same time quite clearly, I think the world is evolving," Martin told reporters.

It shouldn’t be much of a discovery to acknowledge that the world is evolving. And it evolves far beyond the steak-munching, drink-swilling Canadian Liberal caucus trading ideas in summertime North Bay.

"There are changes taking place, and what Canadians will be looking for is a government that, while very proud of its record, is also prepared to deal with the new world that is out there, both within and outside of our borders," Martin said.

Considering the ticking of the clock, it may have been the appropriate time for Martin to begin distancing himself from Chretien.

The former finance minister is expected to win the Liberal leadership in November, and to be sworn in as Prime Minister early next year.

Martin, who has said very little about his intentions to the Canadian public, has hinted that the Chretien government was adrift, and even slow off the mark, during the recent SARS crisis.

All but hidden when his comments should have been forthcoming during the war in Iraq, the Prime-Minister-In-Waiting’s now waxing supportive when it comes to American/Canadian relations.

Canada must work to enhance its relationship with the United States while taking a stronger, independent role on the world stage, he says.

The domestic ideas he favours have long been bandied about by the promise-all Liberals: a national effort to fix the health care system, a strengthened military, more relevant MPs, and use of the tax system to help rebuild and refurbish Canadian cities.

The "New World’ he keeps talking about is vague in concept. It does sound a lot like the New World Order advocated by his mentor Maurice Strong, the UN poster boy, who will be a senior advisor in the new Prime Minister’s office.