Michael Ignatieff will hold private meetings in Washington this week with President Barack Obama's inner circle in a move to showcase the Liberal leader's close bonds to the Democratic administration
A pretty impressive itinerary by any measure, which speaks to stature:
Ignatieff will deliver an off-the-record keynote address on Afghanistan on Thursday to an exlusive group of U.S. policymakers that includes Richard Holbrooke, the president 's special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Liberal insiders say.
On Wednesday night, Ignatieff will have dinner with Holbrooke, who is spearheading Obama's aggressive new policy to defeat the Taliban and crackdown on insurgents using Pakistan as a safe haven.
Ignatieff will also be the guest of honour at a private dinner Thursday night in Washington hosted by Obama's White House foreign policy adviser Samantha Power and her husband Cass Sunstein, who also works for Obama and is rumoured to be in line for the president's first Supreme Court appointment.
Larry Summer, the president's economic adviser, is also expected to attend the private dinner. Summer, the former president of Harvard University, is a close friend of Ignatieff as is Power. Sumner and Ignatieff have often vacationed together.
The Liberal leader will also meet Barney Frank, the powerful chairman of the House Representatives Financial Services Committee to discuss American efforts to combat the global recession and deal with the banking crisis.
...But he will also argue Canada should be taking a much bigger role in the Holbrooke mission given the country's military and financial commitment to Afghanistan. Ignatieff has criticized the Harper government for failing to appoint a special envoy to region as Britain, France and Italy have done.
Guest of honor, keynote speaker, it's no appearance on Fox mind you, but it sure says something about genuine substance. I don't doubt for a moment that there is a political consideration here, but you can't fake well earned intellectual respect on the international scene.
Anyways, whomever it was in the Ignatieff inner circle that "found" the time in Michael's schedule for this visit, let me say BRAVO. The optics are delicious.
12 comments:
Yeah, but will he run into BO in a hallway?
Stephane Dion had private meetings with whom when he was leader????
I thought Dion wanted a Liberal Party that would not ally itself with the Americans. One that would rule Canada for the next 30 years.
Anyway, who should Harper's ministers need to meet with. Sarah Palin? Mick Huckabee? Randy Hillier? Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
It certainly does speak to stature when Ignatieff--who helped unleash horrors on Iraq--gets to "rub elbows" with Holbrooke, given the latter's record on East Timor and the Balkans.
A very proud day of elbow-rubbing for Liberals, to be sure.
Not quite so proud, perhaps, as the day when Liberal Frank McKenna rubbed elbows in Calgary with George Bush, the American President who authorized both torture and the illegal war of aggression in Iraq championed by Michael Ignatieff.
But still--quite a proud day for Liberals.
What stature these gentlemen do enjoy while recognition of their names means everything, and recognition of their records means nothing!
Get over yourself, Stephen. No doubt Harper's non-regret over having pushed for Canada being at the front of the line in Iraq still irks you... So are you now accusing Obama administration of being in cahoots with Bush, too?
I guess the first to go at CTV were the proof readers - summer, sumner, igantieff, shee! I bet Harper's demanded that all CON friendly stories have to be rushed thru spell-check and partisan-check before the 'extra advertising cheque' gets put in the mail...
Yes Stephen, a sad day indeed when a Canadian politician has the opportunity to put forth our point of view to the most powerful people in the world.
Jealousy is a nastry trait isn't it?
Stature helps, we know that. Gerald Ford was impressed with the intellect of Pierre Trudeau and felt Canada should be part of the G-8. He arranged for Trudeau to speak and bingo, bango - Canada became part of the G-8. Why, because they were impressed with him.
Thank you Mr. Trudeau for putting Canada on the world stage - perhaps we can get ourselves back to where we were via Trudeau, Pearson and yes, even Mulroney.
You see they got "invited" and didn't have to have US spin masters to arrange to take notice.
I was hoping for a spot on the Daily Show!
the most powerful people in the world.Because power is what it's all about, isn't it?
What people do with it is beside the point.
No doubt Harper's non-regret over having pushed for Canada being at the front of the line in Iraq still irks youI have no idea what this means.
Both Harper and Ignatieff called for the illegal invasion of Iraq.
Neither has produced anything like a retraction of his advocacy of aggression.
"the most powerful people in the world.Because power is what it's all about, isn't it?
What people do with it is beside the point.
Yes, clearly that's what it's all about. You're pretty much a self righteous bore aren't you?
Don't answer that.
I may be self-righteous and a bore.
On the other hand, I may just favour politicians who respect international law over those who have argued--repeatedly, and in print--that the powerful should be allowed to re-write international law to suit their interests.
Blah, blah, blah.
And, that's why the guy is one of the most well respected international figures on human rights, because he's a neocon. Geez, it's just amazing the way people can't look at someone in totality, but just get tunnel vision to project the most unfavorable view. Ignatieff ain't Harper, and he sure as shit ain't Bush, the thought process has no basis in comparison. Anyways, people like yourself don't want to look at the whole body of work, much simplier just to slag based on their pet bitch. Who has the time...
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