It was Layton and Mulcair that came up with the proposal to go with the coalition government thing and send Broadbent to talk to Chretien. They needed something big to happen after winning 37 seats. A former Quebec Liberal Cabinet Minister would be easily accomodated by the Grits, given their weakness in La Belle Province. It would also have to be one of the three superministries (Finance, Foreign Affairs, or Justice). I pick Finance due to Mulcair’s impending fatal blow on Flaherty.

Uh.. just where are you getting the information that Muclair getting finance is a “given”?

Once the Liberal-NDP deal is etched in stone and ratified, it is game, set, and match. From Flaherty’s rhetoric, he has already ripped the steering wheel from the car.

Mulcair will get Finance, this is a given. Rae will probably be given Foreign Affairs and Leblanc Justice. Since it is Layton who initiated this deal, he will be content with a major social policy portfolio.

I don’t care too much of when the next election will be. Everything will be dependent on the Bloc. Once they withdraw support of the coalition, then there will be a new election.

Three things need to be worked out: Who gets what department; there has to be an agreement there won’t be an election for at least two years; and if Rae and LeBlanc withdraw (which is a very tricky issue at this stage) they would have to be given some pretty senior jobs as compensation.

Of course, Flaherty may cave in on the public financing issue as well as on some other points in which case this is all an academic exercise.

The GG must be wondering now why she ever accepted the job.

Who would have thought Thomas Mulcair as possible Finance Minister?

God is making fun of me.

I think the best idea for a replacement would be somebody who has yet to publicly support any of the 3 candidates, and then have Mr. Dion and the 3 leadership candidates serve in the cabinet in relatively equal Ministries.