British Columbia Southern Interior Conservative candidate Derek Zeisman wants Paul Martin to be his leader. At least that's what he wrote back in March 2000, in a column published in the Nelson Daily News and dusted off by your humble organ. The former opinion journalist commented "it seems to me that Paul Martin," who is now leading the Liberals but was then finance minister “would make a fabulous (Canadian) Alliance leader. He has impeccable credentials as a fiscal conservative, having almost single-handedly slain the evil Deficit Dragon, while offering up a few moderate tax cuts along the way - which I suspect would have been a lot deeper, if Martin hadn't been held back by the prevailing left tilt in the Chretien cabinet." Mr. Zeisman then went onto praise Mr. Martin as being "charismatic and a superb public speaker" with "strong credibility not just in Ontario and the Maritimes, but even in the Western Reform Heartland."

But Mr. Zeisman wasn't so charitable when assessing Stockwell Day. In columns published in June of the same year, the future Conservative candidate slammed the then Alliance leadership candidate for "his obsession with social issues that most people have either put behind them, or don't want to broach" - specifically "abortion, capital punishment, homosexuality, and a host of other political taboos" including "same sex rights and benefits." According to Mr. Zeisman, the discussion of that obsession "won't get the Alliance elected to office. Ever. Not with a minority government, and certainly not with a majority."

Our readers, astute and otherwise, will remember Conservative leader Stephen Harper told reporters last month a Tory government would propose legislation repealing the Martin administration's same-sex marriage laws. That announcement was made, according to the National Post's Allan Woods, "moments after (Prime Minister) Paul Martin announced the Jan. 23 election date." Mr. Ziesman has yet to return a call seeking comment. A version of this article was originally published in today's edition of 24 hours.