Content area
Full Text
Liberal government hangs on by skin of teeth, loses 33 seats
[MONTREAL] CANADIANS decided it's better to go with the devil you know than the devil you don't last month, electing to a minority government the Liberal Party that's been rocked with an unprecedented sponsorship scandal.
Despite his emphasis on the need for better health care and other issues, Prime Minister Paul Martin was dogged throughout the election campaign with questions and complaints about $74 million of a $185 million sponsorship fund funneled to government-friendly advertising agencies for minimal or no work.
His payback was a loss of 33 seats, plunging Mr. Martin into governing with minority status, holding only 135 of the needed 155 for majority.
CHRETIEN'S GIFT
The sponsorship irregularities happened under former Prime Minister Jean Chretien, who was known to keep his rival Mr. Martin, then Finance Minister, out of the...