That Nice Mr Ignatieff To Lead Canadian Liberals

[spring-peeper]

Canada's commitment to Aghanistan is not in jeopardy.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

No, I don't think it was a big mistake. As to whether it's a "winnable war" - no it's not in the sense of "defeating" the mediaeval islamists trying to recover control of the country, but that isn't the point of NATO's invovement there and it's not what NATO is trying to do.

What is NATO trying to do?

 

[Fullyplumped]

What is NATO trying to do?

Not encircle Russia.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Not encircle Russia.

Is that your answer?

 

[Fullyplumped]

Is that your answer?

Well it's the only answer you're going to get from me in a thread I started about the leadership of the Liberal Party in Canada.

Are you honestly trying to participate in a discussion on this topic, or are you just coat-trailing? This is the third question in a row you have put to me relating to Afghanistan. No comment of your own, just repeated examnation.

If you are truly confused, you can read more about NATO's mandate and mission in Afghanistan on their website.

 

[Y_I_Otter]

Enough of this. I am intrigued by the predictions of impending doom for Canada's Liberals. Were they to exit the scene, would that give the dear old NDP a chance at last?

Not likely; and anyway today's NDP aren't social democrats in the Tommy Douglas/David Lewis/Ed Broadbent sense of the word.

The latest Angus Reid poll shows Iggy running neck-in-neck with Harper as the person best suited to lead the country. In party popularity the Liberals have, in mere days, risen to 31% and the Conservative have dropped five percentage points to 37%-- effectively putting them out of majority territory if an election were to be called right now. This change will undoubtedly influence whatever budget Harper proposes. Three of the percentage points accounting for the Liberal increase have come at the expense of the NDP.

As for Afghanistan, our presence there is just plain wrong.

 

[spring-peeper]

I'm think the Iggy is the right person for the job and I'm thoroughly enjoying watching him.

I found this article about the upcoming faceoff between Ignatieff and Harper in the Toronto Sun.

With Dion gone, Ignatieff has six weeks to prepare to meet Harper across the aisle of the Commons. MPs return from prorogation Jan. 26 and, the next day, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty should deliver his budget to a scared nation going through financial creepy-crawlies in the middle of the night.

The Liberal prince gets his shot at Harper, the rival feared for his intellect, praised for his strategy and envied for his toughness. Harper's iron-man organizer, Doug Finley, wades through the thickest muck on his behalf.

"This doesn't look like a master strategist to me, Mike," Ignatieff mocked to CTV's Mike Duffy last week. He spit out his put-down of the PM's recent moves with sarcasm worthy of, well, Harper.

"Yes!" said Ignatieff Liberals. No more having to shove feelings of inadequacy into their shoes as Dion was belittled. The Harper machine, they believe, won't dare try to smear Ignatieff as it did Dion.

Ignatieff glared into the camera last week and, with a half-smirk, essentially dared Harper to try. His Liberals feel good to have their kind of leader back – the natural governing kind – who's not afraid to utter such declarations as: "Let that be clear!"

"Ignatieff really seems to rattle Harper more than anybody else," says political scientist Heather MacIvor. "Just the way (Harper) stands up to answer him suggests it's not just his government under attack, but rather, at some deep level, his masculinity ... This guy knows how to push a button and make him erupt. Ignatieff is bad news for Stephen Harper."

link

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

I'm think the Iggy is the right person for the job and I'm thoroughly enjoying watching him.

I found this article about the upcoming faceoff between Ignatieff and Harper in the Toronto Sun.



link

I don't much like the idea of some Johnny Come Lately returning to the country after decades abroad, only to be handed the PMs job. But it will be nice to have an intelligent, witty party leader going up against Harper, not to mention the Bloc-heads.

 

[spring-peeper]

I don't much like the idea of some Johnny Come Lately returning to the country after decades abroad, only to be handed the PMs job. But it will be nice to have an intelligent, witty party leader going up against Harper, not to mention the Bloc-heads.

Why does his being out of the country concern you so much?

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Why does his being out of the country concern you so much?

Because he hasn't been here reading the papers, watching the local news, talking to Canadians on a daily basis, ie, just being familiar with Canada. It will be hard for him to have a good feel for the place.

Look at some of the misconceptions that we see from brits and americans about Canada. He's been in those two countries, listening to their media etc, for two decades.

 

[spring-peeper]

Because he hasn't been here reading the papers, watching the local news, talking to Canadians on a daily basis, ie, just being familiar with Canada. It will be hard for him to have a good feel for the place.

Look at some of the misconceptions that we see from brits and americans about Canada. He's been in those two countries, listening to their media etc, for two decades.

The majority of the misconceptions are from those who have never been here, but I can see your point.

Strange, but for some reason, I see his living abroad as a asset. I really should go and read up a bit more on his past, instead of concentrating on the present turmoil.

Oh well, we only have him until May and then the Liberals will pick another leader.

Interesting times

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

The majority of the misconceptions are from those who have never been here, but I can see your point.

Strange, but for some reason, I see his living abroad as a asset. I really should go and read up a bit more on his past, instead of concentrating on the present turmoil.

Oh well, we only have him until May and then the Liberals will pick another leader.

Interesting times

If he does even a fair job, I think he's a lock in May.

 

[spring-peeper]

I checked him out and I can't see any reason for concern. According to wiki, he has been back here for since 2005 and his list of activities are impressive.

Ignatieff was based in the United Kingdom from 1978 to 2000. During this time he was on the staff at both the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford, and worked as a film-maker and political commentator for the BBC. He lived in the United States from 2000 to 2005; there, he was director of Harvard's Carr Center for Human Rights Policy. He returned to Canada in 2005 and took a position as a visiting professor and senior fellow of the Munk Centre for International Studies at the University of Toronto.[1] In November, 2005 he was heralded as a possible Liberal candidate for the next federal election.

wiki

 

[spring-peeper]

JC, got a stupid question and was wondering if you could help me out with it.

Right now, I'm reading that the federal government will go in with Ontario to give the auto industry some cash. I'm also reading that Flaherty is saying that he wants to wait and see, be conservative with the budget and not keep sinking us into debt.

Can the Federal government give out money???? What simple fact am I missing here?

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

JC, got a stupid question and was wondering if you could help me out with it.

Right now, I'm reading that the federal government will go in with Ontario to give the auto industry some cash. I'm also reading that Flaherty is saying that he wants to wait and see, be conservative with the budget and not keep sinking us into debt.

Can the Federal government give out money???? What simple fact am I missing here?

Yes it can. Once it gets your tax dollars, it can do anything it likes with it, pretty much.

 

[spring-peeper]

Nope, I asked the question the wrong way round or something.

Sigh - and now I have to go and find all the right terms and try it again.

)))my internet speed and using google(((

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Nope, I asked the question the wrong way round or something.

Sigh - and now I have to go and find all the right terms and try it again.

)))my internet speed and using google(((

Look up "power of the purse"

 

[spring-peeper]

Look up "power of the purse"

I did, didn't help - all I got was American references and a link to a Rebellion. But thanks.

What I was actually after was the terms and conditions of a prorogue. For the life of me, I couldn't remember how to spell the word.

Got the info now - and I dislike Harper a little more now I have my answer.