On red ink

Just in case we need another reminder as to how Deficit Jim Flaherty earned his name, today's report that the Cons officially drove Canada into the red for the 2008-2009 fiscal year is worth highlighting.

And that goes doubly since today's report means that the Cons' deficit is confirmed in a year:
- where the Cons spent more than half of the fiscal year claiming that neither a recession nor a deficit was possible;
- where the Cons enjoyed a $4 billion windfall in the form of a spectrum rights auction; and
- where the Cons didn't put a dime into new economic stimulus even after they couldn't deny the existence of a recession any longer.

Of course, it may be true that there's relatively little point in blaming Flaherty personally when he enjoys approximately the same freedom of action as a sock puppet. But that only highlights the fact that Stephen Harper and every Con (and Lib) supporting his continued mismanagement deserve to be held accountable - and hopefully it won't be long before the opportunity arises to make that happen.