Harper really is a control freak.

I always thought that when opponents or critics of Stephen Harper called him a control freak, it was a shallow, mostly empty criticism that had little merit. Times have changed.

John Ivison's column in the National Post today, points out a serious problem that will become the ultimate downfall of the current government. Stephen Harper, for whatever reason, has great trouble trusting members of his own caucus to communicate the government's agenda effectively. I really don't understand why, considering the depth of talent on his front bench. Starting with Jim Flaherty, John Baird, Stockwell Day, Rob Nicholson, etc. are all strong MPs and strong cabinet ministers who could take some heat and pressure off the Prime Minister, and who can be trusted to effectively disseminate the message. But, for whatever reason its not happening, and it needs to start happening soon. Like, RIGHT NOW, or at the latest, in the fall. At the rate the Prime Minister is moving at, his polling numbers are only going to sink faster, the more he is seen as bullying his opposition, instead of making a strong coherent case for his government's policies. As Ivison pointed out, he could've done a pretty strong about-face publicly on his equalization decision, arguing that it was the right thing for the country, and that he made a bad promise, in the heat of an election campaign. Instead, he challenged them to sue the government.

Sure, today, while he's facing a paper-weight opposition leader who can barely muster double digit support in his own province, these weaknesses may not haunt him. A stronger opposition leader, might be taking this Prime Minister to the wood shed right now, if he/she were in Dion's leadership position.

Cooler heads need to prevail, and when this parliament is finished, the Conservative Party needs to go on a short weekend retreat somewhere, and work out the kinks in the communication lines, which can be healed by just allowing the appropriate minister to sell the plan for their ministries, and constantly be overshadowed by an overbearing PM, who seems to be haunted by prior slips of the tongue. Hopefully, Harper will retreat in his own introverted, weird way, and emerge reconciled to allow his colleagues to do their jobs.