Election ahead

Expect an election in Canada soon.
Paul Martin Jr.'s PR network will be back in business.
OTTAWA (CP) - A memorandum of agreement was reached early Monday between the CBC and more than 5,000 employees who have been locked out for seven weeks.
The basic concepts behind a tentative agreement were reached late Sunday under the supervision of federal mediators, but both sides will continue to work out the details and language of the deal, said Canadian Media Guild spokesman Arnold Amber. While the agreement will be signed Monday, it was not immediately clear when the CBC workers would return to work because both sides must still work out a return-to-work protocol.
In a statement released late Sunday, the union said picket lines were still in effect until further notice.
The Crown corporation locked out some 5,500 unionized employees seven weeks ago in a contract dispute that centred on a CBC plan to hire more contract workers, a move the union says would destroy job security.
"The most important thing about the tentative agreement - there's a cap of 9.5 per cent of contract workers compared to full-time staff employees," Amber said.
Now, Paul Martin Jr.'s government can be hailed as heroes for getting the CBC back to work before the National Hockey League season begins.
What a perfect way to kick off an election campaign, eh?
"I saved Hockey Night In Canada," Martin Jr. will declare.
But wouldn't it be special if Don Cherry ran in Carolyn Parrish's riding?