TO BE OR WANT TO BE, THAT IS THE QUESTION

ik - from Bourque.

Some are elected, or were, some are not, may never be. All aspire to lead Canada's so-called natural governing entity, the Liberal Party of Canada. Indeed, Bourque has learned from a variety of sources over the past 48 hours that devisive Liberal alliances are forming throughout the country as Pretenders to the Throne await a dubious election outcome and the rapid fall of Paul Martin's stewardship of the party, should he fail to gain a majority government in this, his second and final kick at the can. To wit, the names of Bevilacqua, Cauchon, Manley, Volpe, Brison, Dryden, even, let it be said, ex-Tory Stronach and the American-dipped Ignatieff, among other lesser mortals, all networking their contacts and cobbling standby underground leadership teams ready to activate in the coming weeks, or not, depending on how the stars align for each aspirant. All are sounding out various Liberal rainmakers, regional chieftains, leftover used-to-be's, and ambitious soon-to-be's. Many will be called, some will be chosen, others will be humoured. But the insurmountable evidence now clearly points to a devastatingly fractured Liberal Party, one held together more by a tenuous vernacular than by a robust idealism and altruism that would otherwise stimulate a lethargic political body hungering for vision and leadership.