Gutsy, it was, though the political pragmatism of it all would have brought an appreciative smile to Machiavelli's face.

Citing everything from fear of separatists and the immaturity of the Conservative Party to the necessity of passing a budget that keeps morphing by the day, Belinda Stronach disproved, if nothing else, the paternalistic cries of media pundits and politicos who suggested that the young heiress to the Magna fortune was out of her element during her run for the Conservative leadership. She was neither savvy enough nor tough enough to go toe-to-toe with the big boys in Ottawa, so they said, and they were about as on target as next year's budget forecast. She caught absolutely everyone, from reporters to her own boyfriend, by surprise, and proved to one and all that she is most definitely not Paul Martin in a cocktail dress.

She's a powerful politician in a business suit who can actually make a tough decision.

She said all the right things, had just the right look of agonized decisiveness on her face, and solemnly, with great care and accuracy, placed a small but painful dagger in Stephen Harper's derrière. Demonstrating the chutzpah that saw her rise to the head of her father's company (and by all accounts, run it very effectively), be ranked the second most powerful business woman in the world by Fortune magazine, and make a serious run at the Conservative leadership, it would be wise not to write Ms Stronach off as a "dipstick," as Tory MPP Bob Runciman chose to do.

Of course, he added that she was an "attractive" dipstick, so put away any thoughts of things being better for women in politics.

But nor should anyone suggest that women do politics differently, at least when it comes to the former CEO and now (however briefly) Human Resource Minister. This decision had nothing to do with the good of the country. If that were the case, many options were open to Stronach, from becoming an independent to voting against her party in the best but short-lived traditions of Reform, suffering the consequences and clearing her apparently distraught and divided conscience. This move could have been made last week, or last month, when it was obvious to everyone that the Liberal ship was sinking and the budget was in peril.

After all, what does crossing the floor and becoming a new cabinet minister at a drop of a hat have to do with either fighting separatists or running a cabinet portfolio effectively when there's an able, working minister already in the position? If you're a voter in Newmarket-Aurora, you might also wonder how your riding benefits from having the local Liberal candidate suddenly step down and make way for Stronach to try on her new red campaign button.

The ministry was working, the local campaign was ready, but for the good of the country, let's change all that and welcome Paul Martin's white knight with open arms and against all sense and reason. It begs the question: why?

Well, let's just say that Belinda is taking her best guess at which way the long-term winds are going to blow, and Paul Martin never misses a chance to blow some more wind if it can keep his political sails full of much needed air.

To suggest that there was a national threat involved in bringing down the government by siding with separatists is almost as disingenuous as Martin's comment that "the significance of her (Stronach, and her decision) is not that it necessarily alters the outcome of Thursday's vote" (a suggestion that had the entire room laughing at the Prime Minister, not with him). If one were to take that position, the Liberals could sit for another four years and do whatever they want, because to defeat them, you must side with the Bloc.

The math of the situation is obvious. It certainly is to Stephen Harper, though Martin and his new minister would like you to think otherwise.

So admire her guts, and give a grudging tip of the cap to a shocking move that will at least ensure Belinda Stronach's name in the footnotes of history. She's only 39, she's already playing the game with more courage and audacity than her new boss, and you'll underestimate her at your peril.

Just ask Peter Mackay.