I'VE BEEN trying to think of a parallel for what the Liberals are doing, and I think this is it: It's like someone who's been summoned to appear in court, but who can escape the writ's application so long as it has not been physically delivered to him. That is the basis of their refusal to resign. Parliament may have manifestly lost confidence in the government -- has for weeks -- but so long as they can prevent the House from putting this to a vote -- so long as they can evade the writ-server -- it doesn't count. Yet now that the writ has been served, they say it doesn't count unless it's in Latin.