Should I be Changing My Mind About Michael Ignatieff? Editorial by Jamie Gilcig – February 15, 2011 – Cornwall Ontario

Cornwall ON- So is it time for me to reconsider my position on Michael Ignatieff the Liberals?     For those that don’t know I used to be a card holding Federal Liberal, but left after Mr. Ignatieff’s leadership announcement and a certain bewilderment at my local Liberal riding brain trust.

I, like many others of a Liberal slant were not impressed by the Liberal leader, and his tour visit here in Cornwall certainly did nothing to improve my opinion.

I think I upset Mr. Ignatieff’s team further by suggesting someone like Frank McKenna would mop the floor with Mr. Harper, but of late I’m reading and watching the action and I’m not sure if it’s Mr. Ignatieff’s leadership or simply the Liberal team pulling together to fight another Harper election win that has me looking a bit differently at this candidate?

Maybe it’s the poll numbers or the weirdness of the media coverage of late? Maybe it’s the hint of Spring or the astronomically dramatic blood zest I can feel that Mr. Harper has to get his majority and cement his place in Canadian Political history.    I’m not sure Mr. Harper is closer to that goal now.   I actually think he’s further away and it’s all a big game of chicken now waiting to see who blinks and if there’s an election now or later.

I’m thinking later now.  I know, everyone thinks the call is about to happen, but I don’t think Mr. Harper has the testicular fortitude to go for it now, and risk having a minority Liberal government knock his off of its perch.

What do you think Canada?  You can post your comments below.

(Comments and opinions of Editorials, Letters to the Editor, and comments from readers are purely their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of the owners of the Cornwall Free News, their staff, or sponsors.)

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18 Comments

  1. What do I think? I think you suck at writing articles.

  2. You state that “I don’t think that Mr.Harper has the testicular fortitude to go for it now” and I guess that you mean calling an election. He won’t because he knows we cannot afford another election! He’ll allow Iggy to call for an election (Iggy doesn’t care about spending money) and then Mr.Harper will defeat the Liberals into the dust once and for all!

  3. Author

    I think Mr. Harper would like that to be the spin, but there’s no reason other than Mr. Harper giving Mr. Ignatieff one to call an election; IE a budget that’s 100% unacceptable. If Mr. Harper can’t get his majority it’s most likely his last kick at the can and a legacy that says he came close, but no cigar. With Conservatives like Jason Kenney in the wings the knives will be out for Mr. Harper if he could’t pull off a majority against Stephane Dion or Mr. Ignatieff.

    Between the arenas, this Bev Oda situation, Quebec, New Foundland, the Oil Sands, and of course HIS deficit Mr. Harper doesn’t have much to arm himself with especially if the economy doesn’t actually improve soon.

  4. I was against Michael Ignatieff at one point- thinking what does he know about Canada- then I learned alot more about his life and like so many of us Canadians who have to or chose to go to work outside Canada often we feel even deeper about our Country everytime we are here within its borders,not set by anyone other then Canadians may I add.It is clear from four years of Ignatieff bashing the Tories have turned that one into a lost cause- he is as Canadian as me – do you think Ashley MacIsaac Canadian liberal is too American for you?Harper’s mad American style anti Ignatieff commercials are the true meter of who in Ottawa is playing cut run divide and conquer politics of the last decade -versus left wing Obama led Moderate thought politics like we can finally get back in Canada with Canada’s next Prime Minister,Liberal leader Mr Ignatieff.

  5. I dont think anyone wants an election that will return the same result we have now its a waste of time and money. I’m through throwing stones I prefer to look at the options with an open mind and when the time comes I’ll decide then. I’ve met several potential candidates lately and I feel for the most part they all have our communities best interest at heart but we have to look at the whole package and then decide. Lets be thankful we have that privilige, look what’s going on elsewhere these days.

  6. Concerned Citizen — You will be a very, very concerned citizen if your prediction comes true.

  7. The cost of a federal election is about $300 million, a small fraction of the cost of the G20/G8 sleep-over last summer. In a minority situation, especially with a PM who doesn’t play well with others, we should expect to have elections pretty frequently. It’s really unfortunate that our Official Opposition has been so preoccupied with its in-fighting for the last five years to be effective at its real job. Thankfully, it looks like Liberals are finally getting beyond all that BS, and will start doing what they’re paid to do. The next election will be a good one. If Harper gets another minority, he’ll be gone, and so will Iggy. If Iggy gets a minority, Harper will still be gone, and we’ll have a PM who at least tries to get along with others. Either way, we will all be better off.

  8. harper is just a minion of the elitists, he is a fabian socialist selling us out incrementally to the U.S. he is a fearmonger,and a fraud(bank bailout). he is a member of bilderberg,secret society, thats treasonous. we see the truth, wake up canada, expose the globalists. we see his attempt of a so called orderly transition to instill the framework, all based on a HOAX.

  9. Front page news headline in the Ottawa Citizen newspaper yesterday: Results of a poll conducted for Postmedia News and Global National gave the results as Conservatives 39%, Liberals 25%, NDP 18%, Green Party 10%, BLOC 9%

  10. Unimpressed is how I feel about Uninpressed’s comment. Why do people bother attacking the messenger when the discussing the message is the issue?

    It is important that we continually debate on our leaders. I for one was not impressed to hear Mr. Ignatief say he wanted bilingual Police Officers along the whole trans-Canada highway. Did he actually think about the cost and scheduling of something like that?

    It often sounds like he is lecturing us and one wife is the norm around here. LOL

  11. Look at the poll nimbers released Monday –
    Conservatives 39%
    Liberals 25%
    Nippers 18%
    The #’s suggest the Tories are surging while the Liberals are plummeting with the demographics showing only young voters still looking to the Grits…Be careful what your wish for!
    Both the Conservatives and the NDP do not want an election Perhaps the Liberals will persue their suicidial tactics – I certainly hope not because Canada needs a strong opposition Liberal party.

  12. mckenna would mop? The same person too scared to run against Claudette Bradshaw! lol
    The greatest no accomplishment person Canada, or the U.S ever saw!

  13. The longer Harper stays in power, the more policies he can he twist into his personal favour.
    IE: 1) long form census tampering to usher in 4,000 new prison guards and 13 penitentiaries.
    2). 4 cuts to corporate taxes: tax cuts = services cuts. Established services are an incentive for corporates looking to locate. The very wealthy of Canada have enjoyed an 11 point deduction in income tax while 95% of Canadians have experienced a 1 point deduction.
    One can’t but harp on Harper’s fantasy focus for the deficit. How is he actually going to save money while buying a fleet of fururistic attack jets and without a competitive bid contract?
    His $1.5 billion splurge on the G8/G20 summits was to make Canada recognised internationally. He was then decidely opposed for an importatant UN seat.
    Voting polls arrive almost every 2 days now and can come in your favourite colour.

  14. Well the question was should I change my mind about Michael. I haven’t ’cause he is what we need to keep the Maple Leaf flying over the country.
    We all know that Harper favours the stars and stripes more than the our Canadian flag. Just look at all the tax breaks he gives the big American owned companies. Just look at the burden he places on the little guys. If we keep him there all our programs will mirror the states.
    Joe Gunn states poll numbers that seem to favour Harper. Only thing is they always seem to favour Harper. But when the call comes he drops like a lead balloon. The numbers suggest that regardless of what he does ole Steve is not the man to have at the helm.
    Joe maybe right no one wants an election right now and the Liberals are good for the country while in opposition. Think how good they would be as the government. Just like we needed Jean to correct Brian’s folies we need Michael now to bring things back in line.

  15. What a sweet relief it was when Harper stopped saying “God Bless Canada”. He probably still whispers it every night while kneeling beside his bed, but at least we don’t have to hear it anymore. Thanks for that Steve.

  16. Concerned Citizen and Joe Gunn both quote poll numbers but they do not mention how those numbers materialized. Of course the poll numbers changed in favour of the Conservatives after the spend-thrifts spread out across the country, on our dime, giving away money they don’t got. Just the cost of having all those Conservatives spread out across the country giving away our money was an obscene gesture.

    Joe. It would be far better if we had a good Conservative opposition since this might keep the country politically sound after-all it is when we have good opposition we have democracy. We must never forget the Conservatives function best when using Liberal policies and strategies AFTER they have decried them.

  17. Yes John the Conservatives clicked into the F-35 jet business because the Liberals had already started the ball rolling when they were in power. The poll was done on February 15 which was way before the Conservatives sent their people across country. Wake-up John! You’re getting long in the tooth!

  18. John, I agree completely that we need an effective opposition no matter which party is in power. For the last five years, the Liberals have been too busy infighting and eating their own to effectively carry out that function. They have let us down badly. As a result, Harper has been ruling as if he had a majority.

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