Write Your Own Punchline
The beaver is one of Canada's national symbols and now a senior Liberal wants to make the puffin the symbol of the country's self-proclaimed natural governing party.
Liberal deputy leader Michael Ignatieff says the industrious little seabird -- with its black and white plumage, distinctive striped beak and orange feet -- is a "noble'' creature that exemplifies Liberal values.
"It's a noble bird because it has good family values. They stay together for 30 years,'' Ignatieff said Thursday outside a Liberal caucus retreat in the Newfoundland capital.
"They lay one egg (each year). They put their excrement in one place. They hide their excrement. ... They flap their wings very hard and they work like hell.
"This seems to me a symbol for what our party should be.''
UPDATE: Saw this "puffin rap" on facebook which was written by former Iggy co-chair Alf Apps:
What's all this huffin'
''bout the aristocratic puffin?
Is it so absurd
That a Newfie bird
Could point the way
To a brighter day?
Have the mighty Grits
Completely lost their wits?
Or does Iggy simply see
What might yet be
If Canadians start to flap
About the way the Tories crap?
It is surely an affront
To watch the Tories grunt
Take Kyoto's abrogation,
A too public evacuation!
Or their election spending cheat,
How utterly indiscrete!
Such partisan poo
Compared to Avian doo
However uncouth,
Is now Canadian truth.
And the Libs new mascot
Is just so so hot!
Labels: Michael Ignatieff
posted by calgarygrit at
1:57 a.m.
13 Comments:
I am sure the puffin is a very nice bird but if Ignatieff had avoided talking about their excrement it would have been much better.
By
J@ckp1ne, at 1:38 p.m.
Feeling a need to come to the defence of a politician I happen to think quite fondly off, I read an article this morning that I think captures the silliness of this entire media reaction.
“Granted, taken out of context, Ignatieff’s quote does seem a little deranged, but today’s sources—with the exception of a hint in the Star—leave out an essential detail: the man is joking. CTV News broadcast footage of Ignatieff delivering his spiel yesterday; he is laughing as he speaks, he is being witty.”
This was bound to happen eventually; the Liberals have been making jokes all weekend. The mood at this caucus meeting seems downright festive – perhaps a product of too much grog.
Earlier, Dion joked to the media, “You may write what you want about us. You may say what you want. Don't worry, we are not the Conservatives. We will not send the police to argue."
Sure, people will have a few laughs at Iggy’s expense; however, the Liberals are dominating the national headlines and the press is eating this stuff up. Harper has pushed the press (that has been uncharacteristically kind to him since the winter of 2005) right into the hands of the Liberals and their media machine. Despite this alleged puffin faux-pas, this has been a good few days for Liberals in the news.
By
Matt Grant, at 2:14 p.m.
I mean, look at them!
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070830/ignatieff_beaver_070830/20070830/
They're downright giddy!
Conservatives take themselves too serious. If you don't enjoy what you're doing, do us all a favour and do something else.
By
Matt Grant, at 2:16 p.m.
What we need is a bird that not only hides our excrement, but digs up the Tory excrement. Its around, but no one is doing a lot of digging. ")
By
Unknown, at 2:42 p.m.
Matt, yep, Cons are way too stuffy . . . jelly-beans.
By
lance, at 3:16 p.m.
zing
By
Matt Grant, at 3:31 p.m.
if we can find the hidden excrement, maybe we can find the missing Adscam money.
Maybe ?
By
Anonymous, at 4:30 p.m.
How mad is Dion that the highlight of the entire caucus weekend is not a major policy speech by Dion, or even a quote from him.... but a stupid, moronic suggestion by his CHIEF RIVAL. Ouch to Dion.
By
Forward Looking Canadian, at 10:16 p.m.
When I read this, I laughed my @ss off!!!
It absolutely exemplifies what many people view as the old time Liberals... politicians and henchmen who want to bury their "excrement".
Are we sure that Chretien and Galiano didn't feed this line to Ignatieff?
Question to the crowd, have you ever heard a colony of puffins??? They actually sound like a bunch of politicians!!! Check out this link to see what I mean! Hilarious.
http://www.mainebirding.net/puffin/puffin.wav
My sides still hurt... this is almost as good as "A proof is da proof etc. "
By
Unknown, at 11:05 p.m.
To be fair, I thought it was a joke when I read it. Ignatieff is just showing off his sense of humour (which even Harper has done from time to time). Its even better that he can make jokes at his (or his party's) expense rather than at others, cuz those tend to be the best kind of jokes.
And yep, them Conservatives are so terrible and nasty. They spend even possible second deriding their opponents, attacking them on every issue, engaging in name calling, comparing them to Bush, .. oh wait.. sorry that is Dion and the Liberals.
Say what you will about the Tories, but the Liberals are the ones who practically made negative campaigning an art form.
By
Eric, at 11:33 p.m.
Someone has already added the quote in the Wikipedia entry for the Atlantic puffin:
"The Atlantic Puffin was recently proposed as the official symbol of the Liberal Party of Canada by its deputy Leader, Michael Ignatieff."
Yeesh.
By
Aoede, at 12:27 a.m.
Matt,
Saying that "Harper has pushed the press right into the hands of the Liberals" is like saying that Chretien pushed separatism and corruption into Quebec.
It was already there.
Robert
P.S. Maybe if the Liberal puffins hid their excrement a little better, we wouldn't be finding it all over the frigging place.
By
Robert Vollman, at 11:40 a.m.
Maybe there should be a petition calling on the Liberals to rename themselves "The Puffin Party of Canada."
By
Brian in Calgary, at 5:00 p.m.
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