Mr. Speaker, Expo 2005 has ground down into an unpleasant east-west tug of war in which the west appears to be shafted yet again in a decision rigged to favour Ottawa over Calgary.
The foot dragging Minister of Canadian Heritage demonstrates how the momentum of mediocrity can sustain a faltering political career as his indecisiveness cripples the bid process.
How did a process based on integrity and fairness become so tainted that Ottawa is now lobbying more fiercely than ever before? The Mulroney way is back. Once it appeared that Calgary was going to be awarded Expo 2005, the backroom politics of the Mulroney years took over the process, and an incompetent minister was the perfect foil by which the emergent controversy could gather momentum.
The Liberals are faced will a real dilemma for not only did the independent review committee unanimously recommend Calgary but this fact was also widely reported. Although choosing Ottawa over Calgary will be a difficult public choice for the Liberals, the confidence exhibited not only by the lobbyists but also by cabinet reveals that the Mulroney way is still very much a part of Canadian politics.