Earlier I made note of Ignatieff's three day tour of Quebec next week. Apparently, the new Liberal leader is a very, very busy man, today and tomorrow in Saskatchewan:
The Liberal party must embrace Western Canada instead of running against it, says Michael Ignatieff, who is making his first visit to Saskatchewan this weekend as leader of the federal Liberals.
Ignatieff told a brunch crowd of about 400 people in Saskatoon on Saturday that the party must work hard to win more seats, and more respect, in the West.
"Sometimes we've fallen prey to the temptation to run against the West, you know, to run against Alberta, to run against the Saskatchewan energy sector. This is not the way to go," he said.
"The western economy is the beating heart of Canadian progress in the future. This is where the action is. And, if this is where the action is economically, then we have to be there too.
Goodale introduced Ignatieff with the traditional "the next prime minister of Canada," igniting a rally of whoops and hollers.
Ignatieff took off his blazer, rolled up his sleeves and answered questions before posing for photos and signing autographs like a political rock star.
Tomorrow in Regina, then Monday to Wednesday in Quebec, taking full advantage of the break in Ottawa, and a good way to keep up momentum.
The really interesting part, Ignatieff is saying the same thing to the "west", that he's said in the "east", a fact which speaks to conviction rather than simple pandering. Talking up Alberta in Quebec really serves no political purpose, but I must say I'm getting quite excited about Ignatieff's "vision" for Canada. At a time when Canada desperately needs someone who can reconfigure the old dynamics and offer a progressive view of the federation for the future, Ignatieff gives reason for optimism. Small steps, a mountain of work to do, but glimmers and a sense the commitment is real.
14 comments:
The thing I like about Iggy is the same thing I like about Obama - they are both cool and calm under fire. You just get the feeling that in a crisis they won't panic, just get to work to solve it. Harper tries to project this image but he does so by avoiding the crisis, not dealing with it, and this just makes things worse.
I am so very impressed with how quickly and competently the Ignatieff machine is gearing up for what may be a swifter return to power then maybe a lot of people expected, but it painfully shows how all cylinders were not prepared to fire in unison for Mr Dion. And that makes me angry, but perhaps that was a necessary evil? I guess we'll never know.
"And that makes me angry, but perhaps that was a necessary evil?"
Part of the blame can be on the Iggy people in destablizing Dion. However, the Dion experience may have led to a complete waste of two years. One that put the Grit party much weaker than we were a year ago.
who are these "mystical" iggy people that everyone loves to blame.
Our leader cant speak proper English...blame the Iggy people.
Our leader cant communicate with the general population...blame the inside sources from Jane Taber's column?
Really?
Dion was one video away from being Prime Minister if I recall correctly, and he did what he did all on his own...
You can't manufacture genuine support, like it's people's fault for NOT being inspired. There were some things that made me cringe, but that view tends to absolve all the failings.
It's kind of interesting the way that Michael Ignatieff has seemingly evaded responsibility for the carbon tax, considering that he was the one who originally proposed it.
It's kind of hard for western Canadians -- particularly in Alberta -- to forget the NEP when the current Liberal leader is the one who dreamed up NEP II.
Patrick
Maybe you need to get your facts straight first. Ignatieff proposed a carbon tax which directly returned the tax to the province it originated from. Kind of hard to argue NEP, when all the money went back to Alberta, so that they could push the green side. Ignatieff's proposal was much different from the Dion one, it spoke to regional concerns, and eliminated any HINT of a moneygrab, it actually denoted a sensitive to the western circumstance. Again, get a clue, then spout :)
Right.
Except that with NEP, the greatest damage wasn't done by Ottawa's moneygrab, but by their hopeless bungling of energy policy in general, to the Albertan energy industry's detriment.
Just like Ignatieff's particular version of the carbon tax would have had the same effect as Dion's, with the carbon tax driving up energy costs for both consumers and business.
Trust me when I tell you that while the cashgrab of the NEP is what infuriates Albertans the most, it was the damaging economic impact of the NEP that is much more damning to the Trudeau-era Liberals.
Ignatieff's carbon tax, Dion's Green Shift and the NEP are merely different chapters in the long and somehow proud history of the Liberal party fucking up portions of the economy that they clearly never understood.
Patrick
I love how you just fluff over your ignorance...
Well, Steve, let me put it to you this way.
One of us seems to actually know how a carbon tax would impact the economy. You don't.
So I'd be very careful whom I suggest is "ignorant" if I were you.
Yes, one of us does, and it clearly isn't YOU. Completely clueless, not to mention intellectually dishonest. The fact you ignore half the equation tells me you don't want an honest debate, merely spouting off with your lame, WEAK, talking points. Study up!
Apparently, Steve has no understanding of how taxation effects product prices.
Likewise, Steve has no understanding of who uses energy and the products energy is used to produce.
The answer, by the way, is everyone. This is not a difficult concept.
Yawn. Apparently dipshit here can't acknowledge the money coming back on the other side. He STILL can't acknowledge it. Go away mental midget, flee, this is boring.
Oh look. Study up brainiac, study up.
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