Michael Ignatieff and Removing Spite From Politics

Michael Ignatieff gave a great speech in new Brunswick. He seems to be back to his old self again and though still promising not to launch personal attacks, he instead went after Mr. Harper's record.

Not too difficult considering his record.

But he spoke to a full house and had a captive audience. Journalist Colin Horgan wrote recently for the UK Guardian; "With Barack Obama, anything seems like it might be possible. With Canada's Stephen Harper, barely anything does."

With Michael Ignatieff, everything seems like it might be possible. He always dreams big.


Sarah Palin did more for environment than the Tories - Ignatieff
November 14th, 2009

Federal Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff vowed Friday night to attack the policies of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, saying the Conservative leader's four years in power gives him lots of political ammunition.

You want me to attack Stephen Harper," Ignatieff told a standing-room-only crowd at the biannual convention of the New Brunswick Liberal Association in Fredericton.

"You expect me to attack Stephen Harper ... But I am not going to attack him as a person. "I am not going to attack his career. I am not going to attack his past."

He said Harper's legacy after four years in power is his attack ads and the politics of spite.

"This man Harper believes in politics 24/7 and as nasty as he can make it," said Ignatieff.

He said Harper broke his promises on not taxing income trusts, not running a deficit and not appointing senators.

The Conservatives spent 10 times more on promoting their economic plan than they did on H1N1 preparedness, he said.

Ignatieff said U.S. President Barack Obama is spending six times more per capita on clean energy than Canada.

The Conservatives are spending less per capita on renewable energy than Alaska, he said.

"You know who comes from Alaska, don't you," said Igantieff, drawing a laugh. "So when it comes to clean energy, Stephen Harper isn't just behind Barack Obama, he's behind Sarah Palin."

He said Harper doesn't believe in the positive power of government, only power.

"We don't believe in big government," said Ignatieff. "But we do believe in that we can't move into this new economy, this new world without the leadership of a strong and compassionate federal government."

He said what the country is going through isn't just a recession, but a restructuring of the global economy.

In the new world, fossil fuels will be expensive, carbon will have a price and the growth markets will be in China and India, not the United States, said Ignatieff.

Brain power and intellectual property, not natural resources, will drive the new world, he said.

"Canadians are ready for this world," he said. "They are excited by this world.

"They are ready to innovate. But they are looking for leadership."

The Conservatives say Canadians have to choose between jobs and the environment, said Ignatieff. But Liberals reject that as a false choice, he said.

A Liberal government will make Canada the greenest, most energy efficient economy in the world, he said.