OTTAWA - After the Conservatives' proposed budget was rejected by all three federal opposition parties, it seems that the stage is set for a non-confidence motion. In all likelihood, the budget itself played only a minor role in this decision - the opposition parties had already decided to spark a non-confidence vote over ethical issues relating to the contempt of parliament charge against the Conservatives.

By many accounts (and judging by simple common sense chronological assessments) the opposition parties did not even read the budget. They were, after all, moving full speed ahead with an election.

This is an election that very few people outside the Ottawa bubble want. Yet, each of our federal parties was posturing for an election months ago, inching slowly closer to their hearts' desires all the while.

This is beyond disappointing - elections are hugely expensive to the taxpayer. Of course, sometimes they are necessary and warranted - but in this case, it is extremely unlikely to produce a different result. An election call would not just hit taxpayers for the $300 million sticker price that is constantly advertised - it would also invalidate all of the work put into this budget. This includes the millions of dollars spent on studies and polls, but also the hard work of many Canadians who have made presentations to budget committees.

Hitting the big 'reset' button should be a last resort - but as we head into what would be the fourth election in seven years, it seems that our politicians have bumped up this last resort to more of a common, every-day political play.

We were in the budget lockup this year. We read the budget. We met with citizens all year, eager for more engagement from their government - this feels like a slap in the face to taxpayers. Any promises that were made to citizens are now on hold, because part of an election campaign involves making newer, better promises with flashier appeal. All of this, too, will cost taxpayers money. Not in the formulation, but in the implementation.

The budget document that was presented this week was a relatively boring document in and of itself. It did not announce any major spending cuts or new initiatives. It holds the line, essentially. It is not a budget that the Conservatives would shape a campaign around, for example. You see, even if we end up with the same power balance in Ottawa after the next election, each party will have committed to at least some attention grabbing initiatives.

Our politicians sure talk about the economy a whole lot, and they all claim to know how best to manage it. Do any of them really respect it, though?

It is very easy to become detached in Ottawa - when looking at ledgers and reports instead of the people behind them. There is no clear remedy to this flaw of all modern representative governments, but it can be overcome by respectful politicians who understand that they represent real Canadians and real families. When several elections occur in the span of only a few years this detachment is thrown into stark relief - emerging from recession, our economy needs effective management, not neglect and uncertainty.