But, But, But, But...Don't Go Yet...

A Cabinet Minister backing out of his obligations pre-election? An elected Member of Parliament deciding spontaneously that he has no further plans to hang around the House of Commons attending to the affairs of government? The power invested in a Minister of the Crown has palled? Exchanging power and prestige for filthy lucre and prestige? Frustrated by his own ambitions to aim higher, yet unwilling to fulfill the apprenticeship?

Haven't we seen this scenario before? And is this the well-considered action of a thoughtful intelligence? He is said to be thoughtful and intelligent, has been acknowledged as a masterful and dependable minister in the portfolios, difficult ones, that he has been assigned. And which he carried off with great credit to himself and the party he represents, let alone the country that depended upon him; an elected lawmaker, representative of an important province of Confederation.

His seat will soon be vacant. Which of course means a by-election will be called. These are costly affairs, and why must the country be dinged for such an event at a time of fiscal restraint, imposed austerity? His plans simply could not be put on hold any longer? Is he, among other things, impetuous of nature? Questions, questions. Is anyone asking those questions? Is anyone concerned that they be answered?

Well there are ample precedents. Lucien Bouchard left the government of his great good friend Brian Mulroney because he too was impetuous, anxious to found a new nation out of an old-overlooked one, after Meach Lake disappointed him dreadfully. Presumably, he did not aspire to become prime minister of Canada. It is rumoured that Jim Prentice has that aspiration.

Finance Minister Paul Martin too champed at the bit. As did his fervid supporters, fed up with the stubborn will of Jean Chretien to retain the prime ministership of the country. Mr. Martin had performed such a bang-up job of balancing the economy, bringing the debt down, wrestling with the deficit, all the punditry felt he could solve the other problems facing the nation. And did he? He cleaned out Jean Chretien's augean stables.

Going back a little further in history there was John Turner who felt that Pierre Elliott Trudeau was hanging around a little too long. Another finance minister whose reputation as a solver-of-problems and whose Ivy League credentials made him an impeccable choice. Only Mr. Trudeau was simply not prepared to leave with good grace. And Mr. Turner left with bad grace, to a salary commensurate with the lifestyle he then envisaged.

Law or finance, they both offer generous financial returns. But the best-laid plans of mice and men do often go awry. Sigh, however it goes, the taxpayer picks up the tab for those over-extended egos....