What could PM do tonight?

The Prime Minister makes a prime-time address to the nation only on rare occasions.

Herewith, a highly speculative -- and partly facetious -- look at Paul Martin's options tonight.

CALL AN ELECTION

WHAT WOULD IT MEAN? All the bills before the House of Commons, including same-sex marriage legislation and all the budget items, would die.

WHAT'S THE UPSIDE FOR THE LIBERALS? They would be spared further Question Period inquisitions about revelations at the Gomery inquiry.

WHAT'S THE RISK? With Gomery providing the media with daily fodder, those orchestrated campaign stops would turn into mini-Question Periods.

GIVE PARTISAN SPEECH

WHAT WOULD IT MEAN? Not much. Mr. Martin would likely stress the need to let the Gomery inquiry complete its work before going to the polls.

WHAT'S THE UPSIDE FOR THE LIBERALS? The Prime Minister would be making the same arguments he has made during Question Period, but there will presumably be no Tories in his office to boo him.

WHAT'S THE RISK? It looks a little weak to go on television and plead with the opposition to play nice.

PROROGUE PARLIAMENT

WHAT WOULD IT MEAN? No election, but all the bills before the Commons would likely die. It might buy time for public anger over Gomery to subside.

WHAT'S THE UPSIDE FOR THE LIBERALS? No more worries about those non-confidence motions. Or Question Period. Or governing.

WHAT'S THE RISK? The Gomery commission unearths another Jean Brault-style bombshell that may be difficult for voters to forget by the fall.

DECLARE WAR

WHAT WOULD IT MEAN? That Mr. Martin's address is important enough to justify prime-time coverage.

WHAT'S THE UPSIDE FOR THE LIBERALS? If you believe George W. Bush's critics, he used this exact strategy to win a second term.

WHAT'S THE RISK? Finding a suitable opponent. Sure, there's the squabble over Hans Island, but those Danes are plucky. The best option might be to stage a mock invasion of a fake country, like in [the film] Wag the Dog.