The Differences Between Michael Ignatieff and Stephen Harper are Absolute

It's interesting watching the latest rounds of attack ads against Michael Ignatieff, using soundbites to suggest that he is not Canadian enough. He didn't come back for us. How silly. I could have sworn he came for me.

And besides, what has Stephen Harper done for us lately? Ever? He is the most narcissistic, self-centred person on the planet.

Joan Bryden wrote for the Canadian Press under the heading: Ignatieff stokes election fever, lays out contrast with Harper Tories

This is the message that the Liberals and Michael Ignatieff have to focus on. Because the differences between Ignatieff and Harper are profound, beginning with the fact that the first leads a party, while the other controls a party.

As Ignatieff told it, it will be a choice between a strong team and a one-man show, between a leader who listens and one who imposes his ideology, between a leader who inspires hope and one who traffics in fear, between a leader who wants to invest in family care, education and retirement security and a prime minister who'd rather spend billions on prisons, stealth fighter jets and corporate tax cuts. His tub-thumping performance came during a Liberal caucus retreat, held ostensibly to plot strategy for Monday's resumption of Parliament but aimed more at preparing for a possible election that could be triggered over the federal budget, expected in March.

Having a strong team is something that the Liberals have over the Conservatives in spades. Harper's science minister, Gary Goodyear, doesn't believe in science (aka Evolution). The Liberal science critic, Marc Garneau, was an astronaut. I think he believes in science.

Harper's immigration minister, Jason Kenney, has a high school education. The Liberal critic, Justin Trudeau, is not only the son of one of Canada's longest serving prime ministers, and well educated, but has been an activist for social issues, including literacy.

The list goes on.

Irwin Cotler, the Human Rights critic, is considered an expert on international and human rights law. As an international human rights lawyer, he served as counsel to Nelson Mandela in South Africa. Stephen Harper belonged to a group that worked to keep Mandela in prison.

Pablo Rodríguez, Canadian Heritage critic, has dedicated much of his time to humanitarian causes. "...his belief in helping developing countries and the eradication of poverty led him to collaborate with numerous organizations including Oxfam-Québec, where he was a Vice-President for nearly four years." Stephen Harper has instead been choking off and threatening to choke off the funding of humanitarian aid groups: "Other aid organizations that speak out on public issues say they have received warnings that their funding is in jeopardy. Stories of unsettling conversations with federal officials are spreading through the aid community. The only safe policy seems to be silence." Instilling fear in aid organizations. How cowardly.

Bob Rae is a Rhodes Scholar and former premier of Ontario.

Ujjal Dosanjh is a former premier of BC, and was on the board of directors for BC Civil Liberties Association, the Vancouver Multicultural Society, and the Labour Advocacy Research Association. All things alien to the Harper government.

Kirsty Duncan, is a recipient of the Knowledge Millennium Award. “This award is presented annually to an individual who has made a significant mark on theme of the Global Knowledge Millennium summit. This year’s theme is emerging health threats – and Dr. Duncan has been recognized for her contribution to research on flu pandemics. A Nobel laureate herself, she will stand amongst six other Nobel laureates who previously won the award."

A Nobel laureate. At a time when our government is promoting ignorance.

Michael Ignatieff wants his legacy to be a national childcare plan, costing a billion dollars a year. Harper gives a handout that does nothing to provide quality childcare and has cost us 12 billion during his five year reign of terror, or $2.4 billion a year.

Michael Ignatieff has a PhD from Harvard and has taught at schools like Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge and the London School of Economics. Harper has a masters in economics from a school ranked 33rd for it's business programs, but has never worked a single day as an economist. His only real job was the mail room at Esso. He is a career politician and it shows.

Michael Ignatieff was a war correspondent, spending time in places where Stephen Harper would probably wet his pants just watching the conflicts on television.

Michael Ignatieff is an award winning producer of documentaries, taking home a Gemini for Blood and Belonging. Stephen Harper runs juvenile attack ads.

Michael Ignatieff has written 17 books, several winning awards and translated into 12 different languages. Stephen Harper writes fundraising letters and plagiarizes speeches.

I'm so sick of the promotion of ignorance in Canadian politics. It's time to bring back some smart. It's time to get rid of Stephen Harper by voting him out.

I did take a bit of offense to Bryden's piece though, when in suggesting that it was Ignatieff pushing for an election, "While he made no apologies for Liberals propping up the government in the past, Ignatieff signalled those morale-sapping days are over."

The media seems to forget that Michael Ignatieff was quite prepared to bring down Stephen Harper in the past, but when he announced it publicly, they went into a tailspin, and Jack Layton pulled in his horns, keeping the Harper regime alive.

Ignatieff is damned if he does, and damned if he doesn't. I'm glad he's fighting back.

It's now all up to Jack Layton. He has to put his money where his mouth is. Will he be the one to save Harper's butt, even if it means accepting more corporate tax cuts, something that goes against the very foundation of the NDP?

Ignatieff has a lot of reasons to be smiling these days.