Thursday, November 23, 2006

Custody Battle

I thought yesterday was weird. So far, today is shaping up to be just as bizarre as everyone scrambles to try and take credit for Harper's resolution.


Exhibit 1: Michael Ignatieff


By Thursday morning, Ignatieff was firmly planting his flag in the initiative.

"It really did start with us, in the leadership campaign, going into small towns in Quebec, reaching out, listening to Quebecers . . . ,'' he told CTV's Canada-AM.

"They asked us, as a party, to affirm their distinctiveness, their particular place in the history of our country and I was pleased in my campaign to do so. And I think we have every reason to say this started with us.''


Exhibit B: Stephane Dion


NATIONAL NEWSWATCH - During an interview Thursday afternoon with New Brunswick talk radio show host Tom Young, Liberal Leadership candidate Stephane Dion took partial credit for Prime Minister Harper's stand asking the House of Commons to declare that Quebec is a nation — "within a united Canada."

Describing himself as a "trouble fixer," Dion told host Tom Young that the prime minister called him for advice on how to solve the Quebec Nation issue. Dion indicated he advised the PM on how to fix the problem. He also indicated that he will be supporting the government motion because it's very close to the solution he freely gave the prime minister.


I've got four draft posts sitting on my computer I'm planning for post this weekend with my final thoughts on the final four candidates. One of the reasons I had against voting Ignatieff as my second choice was his view on federalism. One of the reasons I had in favour of going Dion as my second choice was his view on federalism. I still think you can learn a lot about candidates by the way they've handled this question but if all four frontrunners endorse this resolution (which I unfortunately think they will), it's pretty much taken this off the table as a policy issue.

posted by calgarygrit at 4:34 p.m.

9 Comments:

  • Its only off the table when its off the table. I for one as a delegate with five generations of history in the province of Quebec will be voting against anything that even breathes the words Quebec and nation in the smae motion. If it doesn't get tabled at the first stage and goes to the floor it will not be pretty and it will not pass. The Liberals have alsways been the Party of a united Canada and we are making a mistake to even entertain this.

    Yes Michael Ignatieff can take credit for probably handing the Conservatives a majority in the next election. Way to go Mike.

    By Blogger S.K., at 4:59 p.m.  

  • CG,

    I liked how Dion called himself a "trouble fixer", as opposed to being a "trouble maker". I'd never heard that phrasing before, but I like it.

    For the record, I think the Liberal resolution is far more frightening because it ascribes nationhood to the territory of Quebec, as opposed to the sociological Quebecois. Big difference methinks.

    By Blogger Olaf, at 5:17 p.m.  

  • This from Paul Wells:

    "This is excellent news for Michael Ignatieff. He no longer sticks out as an oddity, so Liberals who hope his last gaffe is behind him will feel freer to make Ignatieff their next leader. One suspects this result was not alien to the calculations of a prime minister who is pretty sure Ignatieff's next several gaffes are, in fact, ahead of him, and who would like to ensure that Ignatieff gets to commit those gaffes from the Liberal leader's seat in the Commons and the Liberal leader's bus on the campaign trail.

    By Blogger Down & Out in L A, at 5:18 p.m.  

  • Blundering is still on the table as an issue, though. And it was Iggy's blunders that have led the Libs to the state where they get upstaged by Harper.

    But remember, we really are in the realm of semantics. Bob Rae is right about that. Nothing concrete really follows from the motion,as they will figure out in Quebec soon enough. So the constitution is still on the table as long as your worried about who among the candidates will take the NEXT best step beyond this empty declaration.

    Given his history of missteps, would that be Iggy?

    By Blogger bigcitylib, at 5:21 p.m.  

  • Paul Wells, [journalist?] I*m surprised he fails to state the overall picture with Iggy.

    Ooops, I must read more carefully. He does.

    Many more gaffs to come.

    Iggy states the truth and gets hung for it.

    Rea paints deceptive diagrams in words coated in teflon and gets away clean every time.

    One is a politician and the other is not.

    For a second there I almost thought my friend Wells had let me down. = TG

    By Blogger TonyGuitar, at 6:21 p.m.  

  • "Do you think Harper and Dion spoke in French or English? My hunch is each spoke in their native tongue."

    So - French for Dion and Cylon for Harper?

    By Blogger Reality Bites, at 1:47 a.m.  

  • Michael Ignatieff [Leader ?]

    I think most of us were originally optimistic but the evidence is in and it is clear.

    The Liberal leadership process has served its purpose in vetting the candidates.

    By Blogger Down & Out in L A, at 6:29 a.m.  

  • Would that make him "Cylon Dion"?

    By Blogger sorry..., at 11:53 a.m.  

  • This won't really have effect, I think so.

    By Anonymous catalogo puertas metalicas, at 5:45 p.m.  

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