Baby Needs New Shoes

Canada's Finance Minister brought the budget to the House of Commons on Tuesday. The day before, he went to a men's clothing store, where instead of buying the traditional new pair of shoes, he had his old ones re-soled. This was a huge media event.

Pundits analyzed the "re-soling instead of purchasing," proclaiming it as a harbinger of the budget to come. In fact, the whole event was as serious as the Canadian groundhog day event (and of course they have their own groundhog, though they also monitor the U.S. rodent). On February 2, anyone who looks at a calendar and a map knows two things: yes, spring is inevitable; no, it won't feel like it for awhile. Why even ask a rodent?

But back to the shoes--quaint custom, eh? It's stuff like this that makes Canada seem cute, like one of those small European countries, maybe the one in the first Chocolate Factory movie--all turrets and red tile roofs. And let's not forget the abject poverty and four grandparents sleeping in the same bed to stay warm. Canada has that side, too.

Which the budget doesn't much address. Tax cuts for "ordinary Canadians," coupled with corporate tax breaks, have drained the surplus. The Conservatives bailed out the auto industry but left forestry high and dry. Still, the Liberals don't think it's worth bringing down the government for this budget.

It's snowing today, and my calendar confirms that it's still winter. So although Canada may be ready for a change in the season--weather or political--they have a few more weeks, at least, to wait.