Flaherty: Deficit will be retired by 2011

OTTAWA – Faced with record federal debt, Finance Minister Smilin’ Jim Flaherty boldly predicted that the federal government’s deficit will be erased within twelve months.

“We’re going to sell more Senate seats. These are a hot commodity, and they’ll fetch bags of money. And we get to stock the upper chamber with Cronies, Reformers and Pals (CRAP) that share our vision of a different Canada. Don’t forget federal judge jobs, either. They’re up for grabs too. You betcha.”

Financial Post scribe Brian Cudmore commented “Why he didn’t think of this before becomes the $49 billion dollar question. It all seems so obvious. And the CRAP is a really nice bonus.”