Well as finance minister Paul Martin was way to the right. He cut millions in health care transfers to the provinces and the ripples are still being felt. He also robbed the U.I. funds to build his budget surplusses. I don't think that he was PM long enough to do much damage but I never regarded him as being left of centre. I always thought it a paradox that anyone wanting to be Prime Minister would re-flag his fleet of ships with foreign colours. He was neither a patriot or a leader of vision but his weak leadership opened the door for Harper. I think that the biggest problem that the left wing unification has is the number of seats held by the Bloc. That is a merger that can never happen.