The Shotgun Blog
« Tentative list of coalition cabinet positions | Main | (Video) Ron Paul interviewed by Russia Today: Democrats and Republicans represent Big Business and foreign interventionism »
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Michael Ignatieff: Cracks in the coalition
I just posted the tentative list of possible cabinet-level positions, and was surprised by what Don Martin wrote about Michael Ignatieff not yet being included in the list. So I did some digging, and here's what I've found:
According to Bourque, Ignatieff is having second thoughts about this whole coalition government thing:
Finally, a sign of sanity. Better late than never. A first serious sign of leadership from the presumptive leader-in-waiting.
Senior Ignatieff insiders are tantalizingly whispering to Bourque that the Toronto MP is having grave doubts about supporting the shocking Dion coalition bid, now labelled by many as the "Separatist Coalition", given the defining support it has from both the BQ's Gilles Duceppe and former PQ Premier Jacques Parizeau.
One longtime senior Ignatieff backer, under condition of anonymity, confided that "Michael is in a tenuous situation and he is feeling a lot of heat from caucus colleagues and constituents alike. Frankly, we think we got snookered by Bob Rae on this one".
And the Globe & Mail is reporting:
Michael Ignatieff, the front-runner in the race to replace Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion, is being encouraged by supporters to stay out of a Dion-led coalition cabinet.
Mr. Ignatieff's "instinct" is also to stay away from the cabinet, says a source close to the politician, and spend his time concentrating on his leadership bid by selling memberships, rebuilding the party and eventually winning a majority government instead of worrying about this fragile coalition.
The Ignatieff official said Mr. Ignatieff's view not to accept a cabinet position - if one is offered and it likely would be - should not be interpreted as some new-founded concern over the coalition or that he is backing out of the coalition.
Rather, it should be looked at as Mr. Ignatieff's decision to concentrate on party rebuilding and his leadership, the official said.
Right, right; focusing on re-building the party, not focusing on figuring out what most Canadians think first before deciding what's best for his long-term leadership and forming government (via a regular-old election) interests...
Posted by P.M. Jaworski on December 3, 2008 in Canadian Politics | Permalink
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d834515b5d69e201053635f4ba970c
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Michael Ignatieff: Cracks in the coalition:
Comments
This f*cking coalition abortion had better NOT happen.
That's all I have to say.
Give us an election and let the people decide.
Posted by: John V | 2008-12-03 2:52:53 PM
The deep thinker Iggy has just figured out that another election in early 2009 is a possible outcome before anything changes.
With loser Dion as Liberal leader.
And that the Liberals will get slaughtered outside of the Three Big Dumb Cities.
Would you want to walk the plank with that bunch of loser/connivers and ruin your alleged good reputation forever?
Boob Rae already has no reputation to lose.
heh.
Posted by: Rocky Thompson | 2008-12-03 3:51:04 PM
etc
In fact, Jim Travers and Daniel Lessard are just realizing also that an early 2009 election is getting more probable/possible on Don Newman's CBC tv show this pm.
All three are aghast that the Liberals would be stuck Dion as Leader to run in it.
I studied at the Trudeau School of Canadian Politics.
I vote for kicking them while they are down.
Posted by: Rocky Thompson | 2008-12-03 4:01:45 PM
Actually Lessard said he expected the GG to refuse a request for an election and to allow the coalition to govern. Media pundits' pathological dislike of Dion is a media ring thing ... well beyond its best before date. They should get over it.
Posted by: Pete | 2008-12-03 7:11:19 PM
Media pundits have a "pathological dislike of Dion"? I take it you've never read the Toronto Star's editorials on Stephen Harper.
Say what you like about Harper; he's a statesman and an economist, and right now we need both. Dion is neither. He's just a bitter old poli sci prof who's acting like a four-year-old told he can't have a lolly.
Posted by: Shane Matthews | 2008-12-03 9:20:21 PM
During a prorogation until January 26, the government should hold a referendum on whether there should be an election before power is handed to a majority in the House of Commons, if a Confidence vote in the current government fails. The G.G. should then act in accordance with the referendum. That gets her off the hook, and will give a future government legitimacy.
Posted by: Eastern Observer | 2008-12-04 2:57:57 AM
Dion reminds everyone of the dummy talking head whose strings are pulled by the Socialist/Separatist puppeteers. This man who doesn’t have the confidence of the Liberals and could not earn the trust of Canadians wants to be our Prime Minister. In a Separatist/Socialist group of 162 M.P.’s, the Liberals are 75, and the S/S are 87. Who is the tail and who is the dog? Who is the Puppeteer and who is the dummy? The S/S‘s program is written on the back of a brown paper bag. What gifts to the S/S group are in the bag? Same old same old, Liberals, brown paper bags, entitlements, subversion, power against the people.
Posted by: Eastern Observer | 2008-12-04 3:03:05 AM
Harper was a complete horse’s a** who needed a good swift kick, but to replace him with Desperately Seeking Dion, who was kicked to the curb by his own party --- LOL! Throw in Jack “Flipper” Layton, the new Liberal Lapdog who barks and pees on command when Dion whistles. God this only gets better! And finally Da Godfadder, (Quebec style), good ole Iceman Duceppe. Hey, if you think this harda** hit man for the Separatists gives a rat’s hairy hole if Canada sinks, or floats then you are definitely off your Lithium babies! In fact, putting “Howdy Dowdy Dion” and his pathetic sidekick “Whack in the Box Layton” into power will only serve to hasten the Separatist agenda. This isn’t about aiding Joe Average Canuck…it’s all about the moola baby, the payola, the big, deep Ottawa trough full of looovely tax dollars. If the Coalition takes over, the money will flow…but where will it go? The Libs are broke sweet cheeks. Come on now everyone, let’s all spell “AdScam”. So tighten those seatbelts kiddies, cause “The New Libs On the Bloc” will spend, spend, spend and tax,tax, tax! We can all watch that GST climb steadily into the stratosphere, along with our income tax rates! The Ottawa Mafia is in Da House and democracy is gonna “sleep with the fishes”!
Posted by: Vic Poirier | 2008-12-04 8:45:15 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.