Who is Michael Ignatieff Anyway?

[Cameron]

It's too early to judge him. I'll sit and listen to what he has to say.

[madmax]

Really where has he spent the majority of his life, Harvard, last i checked that was in the US.

He has written papers that have started We Americans.......so tell me again what I do and do not know.

I think you see through the Iggy Spin.

[Alta4ever]

There's a very real irony in Conservatives bitching because a Liberal leader is too American; for both parties.

I just think that its ironic that the Liberals who bitch about anything American, have chosen someone who has spend the majority of their career outside of Canada and a lot of it in the US to be the leader of the party. I can just imagine what would be said if the was the case for the conservatives.

[Oleg Bach]

I just think that its ironic that the Liberals who bitch about anything American, have chosen someone who has spend the majority of their career outside of Canada and a lot of it in the US to be the leader of the party. I can just imagine what would be said if the was the case for the conservatives.

Every body is a god damned globalist idealog..and their last concern is their own family CANADA!

[ToadBrother]

I just think that its ironic that the Liberals who bitch about anything American, have chosen someone who has spend the majority of their career outside of Canada and a lot of it in the US to be the leader of the party. I can just imagine what would be said if the was the case for the conservatives.

No, it's pretty ironic from the Conservative side, seeing as how Harper in particular was once very pro-US, and hammered on Chretien for not joining the US in the Iraq Invasion.

My, but what a difference five years and a couple of minority government makes.

[Alta4ever]

No, it's pretty ironic from the Conservative side, seeing as how Harper in particular was once very pro-US, and hammered on Chretien for not joining the US in the Iraq Invasion.

My, but what a difference five years and a couple of minority government makes.

Lets talk double standard, the conservatives would be hammered by the media and the liberals if they had done this. But then again the liberals never have had to walk their talk.

[guyser]

Lets talk double standard, the conservatives would be hammered by the media and the liberals if they had done this.

Perhaps they would publish the truth first. It is rather liberating.

[ToadBrother]

Lets talk double standard, the conservatives would be hammered by the media and the liberals if they had done this. But then again the liberals never have had to walk their talk.

Judging by the conduct of the Conservatives over the last couple of years, is there a reason they don't qualify for this particular accusation either? I mean, after all, condemnation of this silly coalition sounds pretty weak when the guy doing the condemning was plotting the same stunt a few years ago.

Hypocrisy and politics go hand in hand, and anybody who thinks their favorite party and its leadership is any better than any other party is simply deluding themselves, and, in fact, giving tacit permission for that hypocrisy to be furthered in their own party.

[capricorn]

No, it's pretty ironic from the Conservative side, seeing as how Harper in particular was once very pro-US, and hammered on Chretien for not joining the US in the Iraq Invasion.

What's even more ironic is that all federal parties are now breaking their necks to get on the right side of Obama, and by extension, the US. Heck, the Liberals even think they have found an Obama clone. Who could have predicted this turn of events a couple of years ago?

[Progressive Tory]

What's even more ironic is that all federal parties are now breaking their necks to get on the right side of Obama, and by extension, the US. Heck, the Liberals even think they have found an Obama clone. Who could have predicted this turn of events a couple of years ago?

Most Canadian did not hate Americans. They hated George Bush (just like the rest of the world, including most Americans). We didn't care how chummy Harper was with the American people but it was his love affair with the Bush administration that made us bristle.

There's a new kid in town now. No more fake science and bumbling idiots . Throughout the Kennedy years we were best buds with the US. Clinton was the same. Sadly, it was all downhill from there.

Ignatieff and Obama will make a great team. They can use big words and everything. I'm so proud.

[ToadBrother]

Most Canadian did not hate Americans. They hated George Bush (just like the rest of the world, including most Americans). We didn't care how chummy Harper was with the American people but it was his love affair with the Bush administration that made us bristle.

There's a new kid in town now. No more fake science and bumbling idiots . Throughout the Kennedy years we were best buds with the US. Clinton was the same. Sadly, it was all downhill from there.

Ignatieff and Obama will make a great team. They can use big words and everything. I'm so proud.

It's really not that simple. The Canadian and American governments were probably no closer in the post-War era than when Reagan and Mulroney were very close friends, and yet that saw some of the most scathing anti-American rhetoric I've ever seen, and must be seen as a contributing factor in Mulroney's dismal polling figures in his last years as Prime Minister (remember, towards the end, he was the most unpopular political leader in the Western world).

There have been other toxic periods. Nixon despised Trudeau (of course, Nixon hated just about everyone), and my understanding was that Carter was pretty cautious of him. As a general rule, Tories have been more apt to publicly support the US than the Liberals, but nothing so deftly demonstrates the reality of our relationship than Chretien signing NAFTA despite having railed against it when Mulroney's team had completed negotiations.

The one thing Obama's election will do, and this is true of many countries, not just Canada, is that it will be significantly easier for various governments to deal with the US, but the other side of that coin is that it will be much more difficult for those governments to disagree if Obama makes foreign policy decisions that those governments don't agree with. The man is incredibly popular around the world, and that means a lot of the kneejerk anti-American rhetoric that many politicians in various countries (including Canada) use when they want oppose American policies or just simply boost their own polling numbers (as Schroeder did in Germany and Chirac did in France) will fail, or at least lose that edge. Obama's very clever international tour while running for President whipped up a considerable fever that must be keeping a lot of leaders awake at night.

Edited December 31, 2008 by ToadBrother

[Jerry J. Fortin]

Iggy will surprise a few folks on this forum I think. He is internationally astute, and he is domestically driven. Look at his interviews and review his words, this is no Dion type of guy. He is clever, I think more clever than Harper. Go back and review Commons records and see how Steve dealt with him. Its a different ballgame now.

[Slim MacSquinty]

Most Canadian did not hate Americans. They hated George Bush (just like the rest of the world, including most Americans). We didn't care how chummy Harper was with the American people but it was his love affair with the Bush administration that made us bristle.

There's a new kid in town now. No more fake science and bumbling idiots . Throughout the Kennedy years we were best buds with the US. Clinton was the same. Sadly, it was all downhill from there.

Ignatieff and Obama will make a great team. They can use big words and everything. I'm so proud.

Wow, Joe Clarke, the bitter deposed red tory is now posting here, geeze Joe I know you hate Harper, cause his shadow was too big for you, but Iggy won't be nice to you, he's not nice to anyone.

You sir are no Tory, and this I know as you immediately cite Liberal propaganda to support your very weak argument.

Iggy's past writings in many areas contradict Liberal talking points, further he is not surrounded by any brighter lights than Harper, on the contrary the Liberal party may be at its lowest in terms of available help.

Iggy is Iggy, he is not JFK, he is not Obama and he is not Trudeau. His only similarity is none of the comparitors did much for Canada either.

Now go back to the Red Room with kinsella and Reid and try and do better next time.

[Jack Weber]

Thank you,Bitter Jeff Norquay.....

[bush_cheney2004]

Most Canadian did not hate Americans. They hated George Bush (just like the rest of the world, including most Americans). We didn't care how chummy Harper was with the American people but it was his love affair with the Bush administration that made us bristle.

Really? Is that why the Americans elected President Bush to a second term.....and Canadians returned PM Harper's party as well?

There's a new kid in town now. No more fake science and bumbling idiots . Throughout the Kennedy years we were best buds with the US. Clinton was the same. Sadly, it was all downhill from there.

Not quite so peachy keen....during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Canadian DND ignored your own Prime Minister to go on alert with President Kennedy.

Ignatieff and Obama will make a great team. They can use big words and everything. I'm so proud.

Great...Iggy will make a swell lapdog for President Obama....woof ...woof (in big words, of course)!

[Moonlight Graham]

Michael Ignatieff is 'Sam the eagle' from The Muppet Show: Sam the Eagle

Edited December 31, 2008 by Moonlight Graham

[capricorn]

Thanks for the laugh Moonlight.

[August1991]

He's a lot more than just the interim leader for the Liberal Party.

His grandfather may have had courage but by the third generation, there's none. Unlike Pierre Trudeau, Michael Ignatieff never took a risk.

Nevertheless, the federal Liberal Party expects Michael Ignatieff to deliver Power. He probably will.

----

Who is Michael Ignatieff? IMV, he's a flake.

[tamtam10]

Iggy will surprise a few folks on this forum I think. He is internationally astute, and he is domestically driven. Look at his interviews and review his words, this is no Dion type of guy. He is clever, I think more clever than Harper. Go back and review Commons records and see how Steve dealt with him. Its a different ballgame now.

He might be more intelligent than Dion (or Harper) but I think the Liberals have a long way to go before they are in power again.

[bush_cheney2004]

He might be more intelligent than Dion (or Harper) but I think the Liberals have a long way to go before they are in power again.

I agree...one step at a time folks. Obama doesn't need a new poodle until March.

[Oleg Bach]

I agree...one step at a time folks. Obama doesn't need a new poodle until March.

He's left handed and can't hit a golf ball - the guys a frump....all talk and looks and no skill...

[Progressive Tory]

It's really not that simple. The Canadian and American governments were probably no closer in the post-War era than when Reagan and Mulroney were very close friends, and yet that saw some of the most scathing anti-American rhetoric I've ever seen, and must be seen as a contributing factor in Mulroney's dismal polling figures in his last years as Prime Minister (remember, towards the end, he was the most unpopular political leader in the Western world).

There have been other toxic periods. Nixon despised Trudeau (of course, Nixon hated just about everyone), and my understanding was that Carter was pretty cautious of him. As a general rule, Tories have been more apt to publicly support the US than the Liberals, but nothing so deftly demonstrates the reality of our relationship than Chretien signing NAFTA despite having railed against it when Mulroney's team had completed negotiations.

The one thing Obama's election will do, and this is true of many countries, not just Canada, is that it will be significantly easier for various governments to deal with the US, but the other side of that coin is that it will be much more difficult for those governments to disagree if Obama makes foreign policy decisions that those governments don't agree with. The man is incredibly popular around the world, and that means a lot of the kneejerk anti-American rhetoric that many politicians in various countries (including Canada) use when they want oppose American policies or just simply boost their own polling numbers (as Schroeder did in Germany and Chirac did in France) will fail, or at least lose that edge. Obama's very clever international tour while running for President whipped up a considerable fever that must be keeping a lot of leaders awake at night.

I beleive that Obama and Ignatieff have a far better chance of forming a working relationship than Obama and Harper, especially after our PM tried to stonewall Obama's campaign with the Nafta leak and invited John McCain for an official visit.

[Alta4ever]

I beleive that Obama and Ignatieff have a far better chance of forming a working relationship than Obama and Harper, especially after our PM tried to stonewall Obama's campaign with the Nafta leak and invited John McCain for an official visit.

You think so? You think that Ignatieff has a better chance, both Harper and Ignatieff are on equal footing, we are small fish in the world wo ever the PM is he will play nice with Obama. You have no idea what personal feelings the leaders have on Obama, and aside form Harper being the current PM of Canada I doubt Obama knows much else about him. As for Ignatieff, if Obama even knows his name (outside of a brief handed ot him from an aid) it would be amazing. You have no idea just grasping at straws.

[bush_cheney2004]

You think so? You think that Ignatieff has a better chance, both Harper and Ignatieff are on equal footing, we are small fish in the world wo ever the PM is he will play nice with Obama. You have no idea what personal feelings the leaders have on Obama, and aside form Harper being the current PM of Canada I doubt Obama knows much else about him.

Correct...Obama didn't even know who the "president" of Canada was:

...Obama said upon becoming president, "I would immediately call the president of Mexico, the president of Canada, to try to amend NAFTA, because I think that we can get labor agreements in that agreement right now."

As for Ignatieff, if Obama even knows his name (outside of a brief handed ot him from an aid) it would be amazing. You have no idea just grasping at straws.

More important to get Linda's phone number from Bill Clinton! Booty Call?