Just after the first part of the Gomery Inquiry on the AdScam scandal, which was heard on November 1st, and before the second part of the Gomery Inquiry, which will be revealed on February 1st the long-expected federal election was called this Monday, for January 23, 2006.

Pollsters indicated that people didn't believe Martin, who was exonerated by Gomery, was innocent of all knowledge of the slush fund that was to pay for promoting Quebec unity in Canada. Because of the secrecy of the "fund", presidents of the ad agencies and media buyers, who were supposed to unify Canada, plundered it. Since Martin was Finance Minister and on the Treasury Board, if he didn't know, he should have.

But what was the hurry? Martin did promise to call the election thirty days after Gomery II. After Gomery I, polls showed the Liberals equal to the Conservatives, by the end of November, Liberals are 5 percent ahead.

The ace-in-the-hole was NDP leader Jack Layton, who had been propping up Martin's Liberal minority government (along with some independents). Layton tried a compromise by suggesting that the election be called on February 15, 2006, but Martin said no. Layton then said he will join Conservative leader Steve Harper and Bloc Québecois' Gilles Duceppe, but Harper said no, he doesn't trust Layton. Now Layton had to go first and probably Harper and Duceppe set the time.

The interesting question is why Layton had to go at all. Layton had it good when he was propping up Martin, better than he would ever have it with any other party. That is unless he expects to become Prime Minister himself.

This is going to be a to the wall election for Martin and Harper. If either loses they will probably be finished. Martin's heir has just been slipped into place, former Harvard professor Michael Ignatieff. Harper's replacement seems to be Deputy Conservative leader Peter MacKay.

Already the dialogue is getting tough. Harper called the Liberals organized criminals. Martin demanded an apology. Martin called Harper unpatriotic and against same sex marriage. Harper demanded an apology. Thus far neither has apologized

By all expectations this will be a dirty campaign.

Alberta Premier Ralph Klein, a generally accepted right wing western conservative has already indicated that Harper is too far to the right for Canada.

The last federal election went also in similar directions with the Liberals looking like they were about to be punished for their AdScam sins, until Harper mused about his winning a majority. This took the focus off Martin and shifted it on Harper, and Harper scared Canadians. The numbers changed radically and Martin ended with a minority instead.

It will be the strategy for both Liberals and Conservatives to keep focus on each other as best they can. To achieve that the Conservatives have the largest war chest of 10 million dollars, the Liberals second with five million and the NDP at third with two and a half.

A main issue in this campaign will be the economy, which is good for the Liberals. Employment is at its highest levels. To this end the Liberals have given 30 billion dollars in benefits in pre-election goodies.

Healthcare is bad. Wait times are longer, medical professionals are overworked, underpaid and in short supply.

The election will be the Liberals' to lose the Conservatives' to will and the NDP's to dream.

Attention during the campaign is going to compete with the Christmas season but after that it will enliven otherwise boring January during the final stretch.

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