But, but .... my mother?

It is always instructive to observe what happens to bullies when the chips are down. Some become more aggressive, some hide behind their mother's skirt, some threaten to remove their stuff and stomp off.

Stephen Harper, when the hot soup started boiling over, resorted to childish petulance. When pushed by a reporter on the matter of Canadians' mortgages, their savings, their pensions, Harper retorted that the current economic situation provided "buying opportunities" for some people. Oh yes, ordinary working Canadians - most of whom are not day traders - surely rushed out to take advantage of Harper's stock market advice.

When he was confronted with the evidence of backlash his comments provoked, Stephen enlisted his mother to help him out. Did anyone keep count of how many times he mentioned his mother's name in his public utterances about pensions? Awwww. Isn't it nice to know that his mom can still come to his rescue, even though Harper clearly liked his Dad best?

And now, it's been hinted that Stephen Harper, if denied the majority government he wants and were he to lose a minority mandate, would withdraw from the leadership of the CPC. To do what? Stomp back to Alberta to join the political movement to separate the western provinces from the rest of Canada? If that were the case, it would not surprise me. I've always suspected that Harper's position on a united Canada was strategic and opportunistic.

Admit to it, Stephen: you cooked your own goose. Enjoy your thanksgiving dinner. Many of us are thankful that your famous blue sweater gimmick flopped and that ordinary Canadians were able to hear your unchecked words and to watch your unscripted actions in all its common, ordinary bullying behaviour.