“Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.”
I dare not attempt to add to Andrew Coyne’s evisceration of Canada’s most notorious equivocator, but even I have to admit that I did not see this coming. Not only did the Liberals finally locate a spine in the House of Commons today, but they made apparent their intent to win by any means necessary this time.
I have no problem with the opposition defeating the government, as I think it sorely needs another consultation of the Canadian electorate. Nor do believe any of the rhetoric from the Conservatives that this is a reckless or irresponsible or costly thing to do. $300 million is certainly not chump change, but it’s only three times the amount the government was willing to spend on commemorating the 200th anniversary of a war the British fought.
But only days after accusing the Conservative war room of grossly misrepresenting the opposition as a coalition of democratic usurpers, Michael Ignatieff hands that same war room a gift so generous that the man may as well have planned it for the Conservatives himself.
I can already hear the narrator: “Michael Ignatieff won’t rule out a coalition with the NDP and Bloc Quebecois…” It fits the “just visiting” theme perfectly, and confirms just about every wild allegation and accusation hurled at the Liberal leader over the past two years.
The problem with Ignatieff isn’t that he refused to rule out a coalition government with the other political parties. It’s that he seems to have a problem that might be described as unique to politics. The man cannot seem to tell a lie to save his own life.
This isn’t a problem shared by Ignatieff’s ally in Toronto, Premier Dalton McGuinty. After losing an election to the Progressive Conservatives in 1999, the Liberal leader decided he wouldn’t make the same mistake again. He proceeded to make every promise, every guarantee, every wishful thought that emanated from the mushy middle in order to coalesce support around an unaffordable platform.
Then, as soon as the man was elected, he broke dozens of promises, including the big one, by raising taxes. McGuinty has become a master of damage control, able to tell people what they want to hear now, and then do whatever he wants later on. And when the political damage becomes too great, McGuinty merely grants a few more unaffordable items on the taxpayer wish list, and all the lying and deceit is forgotten.
Similarly, Ignatieff should have denied any possibility of a coalition with the other opposition parties. He should have stood there and made grand statements about the Liberals and their intent to rule the next government alone. Not equivocate about red and blue doors and then flee when cross-examined by the media.
If he wins the election, he doesn’t have to worry about the support of a coalition except in passing legislation. If he loses the election he can spring the coalition into action, citing the imperative of being flexible to the shifting political dynamics of the country. Or something. I don’t know, I’m sure they have writers for this sort of thing.
The fact is that just because you say something now doesn’t mean you have to follow through with it later on. Stephen Harper has been equal to McGuinty in this regard, such as promising not to run deficits in October of 2008 and then changing his mind three weeks later. Nobody holds that against him anymore, despite the fact he broke his word, and it was a word he stated adamantly again and again, without any apparent room for flexibility.
History is written by the winners, and Ignatieff should understand that by now. He doesn’t need to tell the Canadian public that he won’t rule out a coalition government just because it might be true. If people elected truth-tellers there wouldn’t be very many people who are currently in Ottawa that would be employed right now.
As Coyne writes, Ignatieff must have known the question was coming. That he answered the question with such ambiguity is certain to seal the fate of the Liberal Party before the election campaign has even begun. All the Conservatives have to do is put that press conference on replay for the next three months and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Liberals lose even more seats this time around.
Perhaps even worse than anything else is that it reinforces the perception of Ignatieff as a “waffler”. A man who can’t make up his mind even when the brass ring of opportunity practically hits him on his formidably sized cranium. Truly this is a party that was cursed by Chretien on the way out.
Ignatieff has not ruled out a coalition with separatists and socialists.
Door 1. The Coalition door, you can vote NDP, Liberal or Bloc.
Door 2. The Conservative door, you vote Conservative.
The choice is that simple Canada.
Yeah, he should have said it outright. But then again, did Harpo not mislead Canadians when he spoke to the media afterwards?
A – There will be no economic consequences for having an election. If there were and Harper was concerned about Canada, the Tories would never have withheld information from parliament and Canadians triggering the confidence vote.
B – The confidence vote was on the contempt of Parliament. Not the budget….
The media had to remind Layton ” but the government didn’t fall on the budget” but thats all he talked about except tellinging…campaigning against the “Conservatives” no mention of taking on all comers. I thi nk the fix for apres vote is in>>>>dont be fooled!!!
Except Pez..they DIDN’t “withhold” information, it is just that the Coalition demanded more than has ever been given in the past…they demanded caucus confidentiality and they did it because they could and because they set this whole sham of a “contempt” charge up so they could have some reason to take down the government other than the budget.
You would know that if you didn’t believe what the media tell you.
I think it is time to blow the dust off this youtube video and get it into circulation…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggJFriUWCI8
I want to address this $300 million thing because it’s a distraction and elections aren’t won or lost on the issue of their cost.
First, if it is normal to have an election every four years (*cough*Chretien*) then the annual cost of an election is $75mil.
This election comes about two and a half years after the last one.
So there should be (2.5x$75mil=)$187.5mil in the election kitty.
So, really, this election is costing us $112.5mil by not happening at full term.
No, not chump change, but much less than everyone thinks.
For those of you on the left you can see it as stimulus spending.
On the right, see it as an investment, like insurance, against the much higher deficit financing sure to follow if we get a coalition government.
I read this argument somewhere that I don’t remember so I can’t give credit where it’s due.
But it changed my mind.
Thank you for a most lucid analysis. The Liberals are sitting ducks until they declare their intentions regarding a coalition. CBC and CTV are flogging experts in support of it. It looks like a full court press by our unbiased MSM to put a positive spin on a socialist government troika. I get the feeling up my leg that the MSM is going to shill for the coalition. Candy rainbows and cute puppies 24/7, that sort of stuff.
“The fact is that just because you say something now doesn’t mean you have to follow through with it later on”
That’s only true if you get to set yourself up as the ultimate arbiter of the truth of your own statements. For Ignatieff to form a coalition, he needs to persuade the governor general that it is legitimate.
Usually the winning party gets to form a coalition, this is what happened in the U.K., not a coalition of the losers. If I knew the LIbs may form a pact with the NDP then I certainly will vote for Harper.
“…commemorating the 200th anniversary of a war the British fought.”
I guess those folks in Niagara, Windsor, York/Toronto and along the St. Lawrence when the Americans invaded were fighting for the British rather than for their homes.
That’s because Layton didn’t find the government contemptible. He simply wasn’t happy they didn’t submit to his blackmail for more money. If Harper had given him everything he wanted in the budget there would have been no contempt vote in the House. So much for being contemptible. It is Layton and the NDP.
Except the Speaker ruled the DID withhold information.
Other than the fact the entire premise of your point is wrong, sure…
He’s ruled it out now.
“dare not attempt to add to Andrew Coyne’s …..”
Who gives a damn what that elitist twit coyne says?
Thanks for that update Gayle, I’m sure we all believe him.