Martin: "Our Party is united"
(An interview with the Prime Minister)
by Angelo Persichilli
THE HILL TIMES
TORONTO--Embattled Liberal Leader
Paul Martin says his party is united and expects to win government on Jan.
23, despite public opinion polls predicting a Conservative minority or
majority government next Monday.
The Prime Minister told The Hill Times and Corriere Canadese
on Sunday in a telephone interview that he doesn't believe his campaign
needs any changes and that his party is "exactly in the same position we
were [at] during the last election at this time."
Mr. Martin, according to the polls, your party is trailing the
Conservatives. How do you explain that?
"This always happens to incumbent governments. In fact. We are at the
exactly the same position we were during the last election at this time. I
think that, fundamentally, the Conservatives talk about changes, but, in
reality, they want to roll the clock back and I believe that Canadians want
progress. They want to see a national childcare program, want to see tax
cuts for middle-low income Canadians. I believe that Canadians want to see
us keeping our work in international treaties like Kyoto and, in the end,
when Canadian will go to the ballot box to make their judgment, I don't
think they want to put the clock back. In fact, I believe they like to see
this country grow as it is under us."
I was talking to some Liberal MPs in the last few days and they were
asking themselves, why, if the economy is booming, people are working,
inflation is under control, and the prime rate is down, still Canadians
would like to have a change?
"I don't believe that's the case. Canadians want change, but Stephen Harper
is not talking about change: he just wants to roll back the clock, and
Canadians are against that. I am very confident about what is going to
happen on Election Day. I am very confident, as I was confident last time."
So you believe that in the next few days we're going to see a change.
"I believe we already are seeing it."
Is you party united?
"Yes."
I was talking to some prominent Liberals during a radio show and they
said that there are many of them sitting on their hands during this
election.
"I don't agree with them. I just come from a tour in Quebec, I was in a tour
early in the week in Ontario and we've had tremendous crowds. We have had
very successful meetings and all the MPs I was talking to told me that
they've got all kinds of people volunteering and the mood is very good."
If you had the possibility to go back to Dec. 11, 2003, would you change
anything?
"If you look at the kind of government we have operated, I think we have
done very well. If we had a comparison of what the government has been able
to do in 18 to 19 months, we have accomplished a great deal. It would have
been better if we not had a minority government but, in the end, you do what
the voters want, and we will do what the voters want this time too."
And what do they want?
"They want progress for this country."
There is a report today suggesting that most of your staff is ready to
support Frank McKenna leadership. Is it true? Are you aware of it?
"I'm here on the plane with them right now and all they want right now is to
win this election. That's the only thing we are focused on."
Are we going to see any change in your campaign in this last week?
"We will campaign very hard. He did it and we will do so. We had an
important announcement today in terms of cities, communities and
infrastructure. This is an incredible important part of our economy. Stephen
Harper is backing away from it and we believe that we are going to pursue
it. This is the kind of things Canadians want."
