The prime minister is not a ditherer, but a hardworking leader with an amazing list of achievements, was the unison cry of key cabinet ministers on Friday.

Finance Minister Ralph Goodale, Immigration Minister Joe Volpe and Environment Minister Stephane Dion dismissed an article in the Economist magazine stating Paul Martin has been indecisive in his first 14 months in office.

Not so, said Goodale, pointing to key steps taken by Martin's government: the multi-billion dollar health accord, a national daycare program and a new cities agenda.

Volpe said the British magazine is envious of Canada's position in the world. "We are the envy of the marketplace. We are the envy of not only the industrialized world but other countries in general, " Volpe said.

Dion suggested the public not cling to every word written by the prestigious international magazine, after all he says, it also predicted Quebec independence long ago.

Conservative MP Monte Solberg agrees with the magazine's observation as does NDP MP Ed Broadbent who calls Martin a "nice guy" who can't make up his mind on the tough issues.

The magazine panned Martin's performance in an article headlined "'Mr. Dithers' and his Distracting Fiscal Cafeteria."

The article, posted on its website Thursday, says Martin seems like a faint echo of his former self – the tough, decisive deficit-cutter who won the respect of international economic circles.

"Mr. Martin, a successful finance minister for almost a decade until 2002, cannot quite shake off the impression that Canada's top job is too big for him," it says.