The Brits are touting Paul Martin, Canada’s deficit-defeating 1983-2002 finance minister, as the man to listen to as their politicians wonder what to do about the new wave of red ink. But Martin rejects the notion that his brand of fiscal austerity fits best with the Tory outlook. He urges a mix of spending toughness and smart investment in education and research—without driving public services to “the lowest common denominator.” Ideologically, he positions himself, for the benefit of UK readers only hazily familiar with Canadian politics, as about the same as a mainstream American Democrat.