It's like a bad riddle: almost everyone thinks they belong to it, but few can define what it is.

Politicians claim to champion it, but it's increasingly difficult to determine what it actually wants.

And, often, when we talk about it, we're really only referring to part of it -- the part that doesn't really belong to it at all, but likes to think it does.

What is it?

It's the middle class.

As one would expect from Stephen Harper, he has come down with a very strategic budget and a fairly smart one at that. As with his other strategic considerations this one is aimed at achieving the goal he is obsessed with: getting a majority in the next election. Unfazed by his drop in the polls over prorogation, Harper looks at the polls and knows that most Canadian still put the economy at the top of the list -- even though people also say they are still angry at shutting down Parliament.

This is an election budget, no matter when it comes this year. The real Stephen Harper will emerge -- he hopes with a majority -- after the next vote, having lulled people into thinking he has become just an efficient manager of the nation (something the polls already give him).

Everyone concerned about the future of Canada's social programs, transfers to individuals (like pensions) and government programs in general should be keeping a keen eye on Ottawa for the next month as we get closer to budget day on March 3rd. The Harper conservatives have been thinking about this day for a long time but their plans, usually firm long before implementation, and designed personally by Harper, are in disarray this time.