Would the scoundrel who walked away...

With Stephane Dion's testicles... please return them as soon as possible?

Tough talk on what Prime Minister Stephen Harper needs to deliver in Tuesday's throne speech was followed by evasive answers about what tactics the Liberals might employ to oppose the speech but still avoid sinking the government.

Mr. Dion seemed to be full of "piss and, well... more piss."

Mr. Dion also vowed to go deeper than the Conservatives in cutting the federal corporate tax rate, but said specific targets would only be revealed during an election.

All of which begged the question of whether the Liberals intend to trigger an election over the throne speech.

“We don't think it would be reasonable to have three elections in three years-and-a half, on top of the provincial elections,” Mr. Dion said. “But if the throne speech is unacceptable to us, and if there is an election, we'll be ready.”

Taliban Jack meanwhile, was quick to do what he does best... pile on... while his opponent is being hammered from all sides.

The possibility of Liberal members abstaining from the vote raised the ire of New Democrat Leader Jack Layton, who challenged Mr. Dion to either “stand with or stand against” the government's agenda.

“Mr. Dion cannot hide from the responsibility of deciding whether he is with Mr. Harper or against him by ordering Liberals to remain absent or abstain on throne speech votes,” Layton said in a release.

“That's not leadership.”

Yeah... no kidding.

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RELATED: It might be time for a booster shot

While none of the Dion staffers was willing to comment on the record, a liberal party insider was quoted as saying there was talk of rushing Mr. Dion back to the "Chretien Center for Mortal Soul Cryonics" located in Shawinigan, Quebec for emergency surgery.

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LAST WORD: Ain't nothin' like the real thing

-- OTTAWA -- The federal Conservatives have surged to 40 per cent in the popularity sweepstakes, opening a 12-point lead over the Liberals and moving within sight of majority government, a new national poll says.

"The potential is that if an election was held tomorrow, he (Harper) could form a majority," Bricker said in an interview. In contrast, Liberal Leader Stephane Dion, who has been dogged by party infighting, is "a bit on the ropes and headed in the wrong direction."

(via reader richard)

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