As nations politics go, perhaps the most weak kneed nation in the world is Canada. A country awash in wealth in natural resources with a population not far above 30 million, Canadian politicians have historically been working in the interests of London, Washington, and business elites; and against the interests of the Canadian people. It is a nation that could serve a comfortable portion of comfort to all it's citizens if only its leaders were not so spineless and in many cases, stupid. The Prime Minister today, Stephen Harper, is perhaps the most spineless of the lot in the history of Canada. His subservient stance under Bush is an embarrassment to even the most quisling of Canadians.

Now, the Liberal Party of Canada is putting on a show to decide who will replace Harper in the next federal election. Harper and his conservatives are too right wing for Canadian sensibilities. Voters will be able to switch from ulrta right to ulra right lite.

But that statement deserves qualification. Ultra right lite is only appropriate to the Liberal Party of Canada in an effort to contrast them with the neo con extremism of Stephen Harper's Conservatives. Without that blemish on the landscape, we could easily refer to them as ultra right proper.

The so called party of the center, the Liberals, have four main contenders running for Prime Minister. They are Bob Rae, former social democrat (NDP), Michael Ignatieff, intellectual, Gerard Kennedy, former anti-poverty activist turned political opportunist, and Stephane Dion, former minister in the previous Liberal government. The lot of them covertly promote themselves to be the next best custodians of Washington's rule. Giving in to ruling elite's agendas is a given. Real policy change or a new vision is not even taken seriously in Canada. The acceptable frame of political choice is extremely narrow in Canada, almost as narrow as that of the sterile and fixed political juggernaut in the USA.

To be viable in Canadian politics is to be a yes man for those with the real power. To be seen as smart and savvy in Canadian politics is to be a slick operator in the back rooms with the lawyers for the corporations and the Yanks.

To appeal to Canadian voters, there is always a thin veneer of wash-away socialism dabbed on in the make-up rooms before television appearances. But once elected, as Bob Rae amply demonstrated as NDP Premier of Ontario, the default template of corporate rules take over, washing away the hopes and aspirations of the people. The quasi socialist NDP have proven to be bold at times in the past, abiding by the will of the people, but that NDP appears to be dead. The present day NDP are just as spineless and ambitious as the two main corporate parties.

The winner here will be Ignatieff. He appears to be the slickest yes man of the lot. He is a strident supporter of Bush's wars and a lap dog for those with the most power. He touts himself a champion of social justice and at the same time rallies behind torture, concentration camps, and the brutal American slaughters in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The other choices are not much better. Rae was a bully to workers and poor people as Premier of Ontario while he wore a socialist mask. He would be far worse, no doubt, as the Liberal Prime Minister of Canada with no socialist mask to content with. Kennedy and Dion are just two more political whores.

Canadian politics is a shameful affair where the will of the Canadian people is only spoken of in grand speeches during elections or leadership conventions. The Liberal Party of Canada has shown itself to be as extreme to the right as any.

The shame of it is, the Canadian people have no say in policy. Those decisions are made out of sight, behind closed doors. Should the will of the people of Canada ever come to bear, we would see a very different Canadian political scene. Canadians would not agree to the mid 90s gutting of the health care system, a crime owned, lock, stock, and filthy barrel by the Liberals. They would not have used soldiers to kill Afghans for American oil interests. They would not strip away Canadians rights and protections in favour of Bush's Patriot Act - Canadian style. Canadians would not have slashed social programs as the Liberals have done over the past several decades while dancing to Washington's tunes, while Moody's of New York told Canadian politicians what policies they could implement. Canadians are better than that. Canadians are gutsier than that. Canadians, as opposed to Canadian politicians, are not weak. The weakness lies in the monopolization the ruling elites have on politics and their ability to place ambitious psychopaths on top of the political heap.

Those with real power in Canada know that Harper and the Conservatives will disgust the people of Canada, that its only a matter of time. They have shaped and cajoled the Liberal Party leadership race. They pull the strings and the puppets dance. And the Liberal Party, as the ruling elites second choice, will be planted as ruler of this potentially great nation. While they rule, the elites will shape and fashion the next Conservative leadership convention in preparation for the day the Canadian people can no longer stomach the brutality of the Liberals.

This pathetic dance continues on through generations of Canadians while generations of Canadians continue to grasp at political straws. And as we spin around yet again, and watch this spectacle, we may feel a little nausea.