On second thought, religion and politics can mix after all

After years of saying it's "un-Canadian" to let personal religious beliefs influence policy, and portraying the party that wants a Christmas election campaign as a bunch of right-wing, radical Christian religious nuts, Paul Martin now says a Christmas election campaign could be offensive to religious groups:

Prime Minister Paul Martin warned the three opposition leaders today that they could offend religious and ethnic groups by forcing an election over the holiday season.

Martin told reporters en route to this port city for an Asian Pacific summit that the timetable he set for an election in March or April would allow Christians and Canadians of other religious faiths to celebrate their religious holidays without interruption from politicians knocking on their doors.

"When you are talking about the holiday season, there are also other religions that have different New Year's at different dates and their holidays at a different date and I think we have to be respectful of that -- the orthodox churches, for example," he said.

"It's up to the opposition. I don't want a Christmas election."

There is nothing a Liberal won't say if he thinks it will help him get re-elected. Nothing.

Posted by damian at November 17, 2005 01:17 PM | TrackBack