After 13 years of Liberal party rule; dysfunctional and costly governance; and one absurd episode after another; Canadians today may sweep that ruling party out of office. At least, that's what some polls - like this one - suggest. Voters will choose a prime minister and parliament. There are three main parties, the Liberals, conservatives and the "progressive" NDP, plus the Bloc Quebecois and the Greens. Canadian blogger and political analyst Pieter Dorsman has some projections on the post-election make-up of parliament and some of his usual trenchant insights, here on what's gone wrong for Martin and the Liberals. The Toronto Sun gives 218 reasons not to vote for the Liberals. Oops make that 219.

The Edmonton Sun gives a ringing endorsement to Conservative candidate for prime minister, Stephen Harper. He'll be a real friend to the U.S., in contrast to the bristling disdain of our country and president emanating from Martin. Even Canadian columnists who clearly dislike Bush think Martin lost his marbles by airing an ad suggesting election of Bush-friendly Harper spells Canadian martial law.

Liberal flailing persists, though: The Vancouver Sun reports that Martin's surrogates embarked on a last-ditch scare campaign against Harper on the abortion issue, but, as the story notes, he and his party have taken a firm pro-choice position. Besides, as U.S. Democrats learned, even as recently as the Senate hearings on Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, the issue runs a bit deeper than the simple-minded liberal insistence on abortion on demand. Defining it solely in those terms reinforces misgivings key swing voters have about harsh liberal dogma.

TECHNORATI TAGS: CANADA, ELECTIONS, PRIME MINISTER, PARLIAMENT, CONSERVATIVES, LIBERALS, STEPHEN HARPER, PAUL MARTIN, GEORGE W. BUSH