We Canadians can be easily bought.

That seems to be the picture painted by a recent spate of polls as Paul Martin's scandal-plagued Liberals fight for survival on Parliament Hill.

A few weeks ago the damning testimony from the Gomery inquiry forced Martin to make an unprecedented TV confession that the ad-scandal which saw millions of dollars being pumped into Quebec-based Liberal friendly firms in exchange for political favours and kickbacks was an "unjustifiable mess."

Polls taken as the once-banned testimony hit the media showed the Liberals losing national support, the Conservatives up by as much as seven points, Quebeckers thinking sovereignty again and the NDP rushing around trying to cut deals to shore up Martin.

Fast forward a few weeks later and no less than four polls saw the Liberals gain lost ground and tied for national voter support with the Conservatives.

So how did this substantial turnaround from previous weeks happen?

The short answer to that is voter bribery. Accustomed to buying votes, like they did in Quebec, Liberal cabinet ministers led by Martin have been raking up the air miles from coast-to-coast dishing out cash to diffuse the national outrage.

Dozens of programs for everything from new farmers markets, upgrading of ports, urban parks, native schools, road and bridge construction totalling over C$700 million has been unleashed on the Canadian public as Martin struggles to shake off the scandal.

Political hotspots like Manitoba got C$35 million for child care while C$240 million was promised for low cost housing in the swing battleground province Ontario.

In addition to helping Canadians forget the Liberal sins, the strategy for the sudden federal largesse has a hidden agenda.

Should the Conservatives force a snap federal election, the Liberal campaign will be heavily laced with--"Vote for the Tories and you will not get the cash we promised."

Ujjal Dosanjh the federal health minister from B.C. has already started beating that drum by attacking the Tories on health care while throwing money at the provinces.

The Tories, he says, will not keep the promises we make to you.

Paul Martin wants Canadians to believe that he had nothing to do with the scandal and that he is doing everything possible to nab the culprits responsible.

He wants Canadians not to support the move by the Tories to force a snap election saying, "Let the facts come out and then the people of Canada will have their say."

Translated he wants more time to buy your vote.

The Liberals are in hot water because their voter-bribery strategy to beat down the separatists in Quebec was rooted in political desperation, moral bankruptcy and legal decay.

They are now using that same vile and cynical ploy to buy your vote and stay in office.