Michael Ignatieff, le Charmeur

[August1991]

Le Parti libéral va mieux depuis qu'il est dirigé par Michael Ignatieff. Les trois points d'avance qu'il détient sur le Parti conservateur selon un récent sondage nous le confirment. Bien sûr, avec 36 % des intentions de vote, rien ne lui garantirait la victoire si des élections avaient lieu maintenant.

Le Devoir

I think that Ignatieff will add at least 15-20 seats to the the 14 the Liberals now have. Ignatieff will take these seats from the BQ. Harper`s CPC will keep the 10 or so seats it has in Quebec.

Because of the polls in Quebec, Ignatieff will get another extra 10-20 seats in Ontario.

By this calculation, the Liberals will form a minority government - or even a majority government.

-----

Ignatieff is charmant.

[jdobbin]

I think that Ignatieff will add at least 15-20 seats to the the 14 the Liberals now have. Ignatieff will take these seats from the BQ. Harper`s CPC will keep the 10 or so seats it has in Quebec.

I never underestimate the BQ. It is like pulling teeth wresting seats from them.

The Tories are still hurting from the stand Harper took when he was fighting for his political life. The polls and the pollsters (including Quebec-based ones) indicate the some Quebecers took offence.

The Tories might find it hard to keep all their seats in Quebec if the mood still prevails. They may go back to BQ.

Because of the polls in Quebec, Ignatieff will get another extra 10-20 seats in Ontario.

This idea that Ontarians follow Quebec like a puppy certainly has not been given any credence by any authority that I know of. How is it that you think it is the major source of influence?

By this calculation, the Liberals will form a minority government - or even a majority government.

At this point, I still think it is a Tory minority albeit smaller.

The Liberals still need a policy platform that makes sense, candidates that have resonance and party organization and fundraising capable of sustaining a campaign.

At this time, the Liberals have a leader who is building support, reaching out and performing more solidly than what we have seen in the past. Having said that, the party still needs a lot of work to take on Harper and win.

[August1991]

I never underestimate the BQ. It is like pulling teeth wresting seats from them.

If Ignatieff lets Denis Coderre speak, then everyone will think of sponsorship.

[blueblood]

Le Devoir

I think that Ignatieff will add at least 15-20 seats to the the 14 the Liberals now have. Ignatieff will take these seats from the BQ. Harper`s CPC will keep the 10 or so seats it has in Quebec.

Because of the polls in Quebec, Ignatieff will get another extra 10-20 seats in Ontario.

By this calculation, the Liberals will form a minority government - or even a majority government.

-----

Ignatieff is charmant.

I think it will be a toss up and a lot will depend on how Harper can handle the economy. However having Ignatieff at the helm makes the Liberals as the future gov't somewhat tolerable. Punting out the last remnants of Pierre Trudeau's social experiment is a good thing, if only they can keep Justin as a backbencher...

[Visionseeker]

Le Devoir

I think that Ignatieff will add at least 15-20 seats to the the 14 the Liberals now have. Ignatieff will take these seats from the BQ. Harper`s CPC will keep the 10 or so seats it has in Quebec.

As things stand, I think the CPC will lose seats (some to the Libs, some to the BQ). But I agree with your assessment on overall Liberal gains.

Because of the polls in Quebec, Ignatieff will get another extra 10-20 seats in Ontario.

Yup. I call it the Kumbaya vote: Ontario voters that reward a Liberal leader who is palatable to Quebeckers. As many as 35 ridings come into play though as much of this support draws from the NDP.

By this calculation, the Liberals will form a minority government - or even a majority government.

A minority most assuredly. Quite possibly a majority.

Ignatieff is charmant.

The kind of guy voters would like to have a beer with? Not yet. But I suspect he's about to get there.

[August1991]

The kind of guy voters would like to have a beer with? Not yet. But I suspect he's about to get there.

Non. Il intrigue les femmes au Québec.

[Shakeyhands]

If Ignatieff lets Denis Coderre speak, then everyone will think of sponsorship.

I think we'll start hearing about sponsorship a lot more soon. Straws.

[madmax]

The CPC are in freefall in Quebec. There is no way the CPC will hold onto all their seats in Quebec. I cannot believe the BQ will be reduced significantly, it never fails when the writ is dropped they somehow find a way to remain the #1 choice for Quebec.

But since I have been wrong on just about everything regarding Quebec Politics........ best you stick with August1991 as one of our most reliable punters.

[85RZ500]

After Dion a three legged alligator would look good to Quebecers. The Convenient Canadian is too unpalatable, he's a legend in his own mind that after 30 some years has found his homeland and a nice pension for mad money.

I am not sure if we'll vote again, but I can't wait for the sparks to fly. Maybe we'll give another kick at the Conservative can.

[Progressive Tory]

This idea that Ontarians follow Quebec like a puppy certainly has not been given any credence by any authority that I know of. How is it that you think it is the major source of influence?

At this time, the Liberals have a leader who is building support, reaching out and performing more solidly than what we have seen in the past. Having said that, the party still needs a lot of work to take on Harper and win.

Ontario have their own reasons to leave the Conservatives. We are the hardest hit in the job market. A poll shows the Liberals now have 44% popularity in this province.

Liberal support jumps in Ontario

March 21, 2009:

OTTAWA – The federal Liberals have moved sharply ahead of the Conservatives in Ontario, in part by siphoning off support from the New Democrats, according to a new poll.

Liberal support in Ontario clocked in at 44 per cent while the Conservatives have 31 per cent and the NDP 14 per cent, according to the poll, done for the Star and La Presse by Nanos Research.

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff narrowly leads – 33 per cent to 31 per cent – Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper among Ontario voters as the person they favour to be prime minister, the March 13 to 18 survey shows

This has nothing to do with Quebec. Bear in mind that Ontario has more than 1/3 of the seat total in the Country.

[Progressive Tory]

I think we'll start hearing about sponsorship a lot more soon. Straws.

Exactly. We'll need to start comparing it to the 'in and out', where most of the forged receipts involved Conservative MPs and failed candidates from Quebec (including a few cabinet ministers). Not to mention the missing three billion dollars.

Candidates who allegedly received disputed funds

THE CANADIAN PRESS

OTTAWA–A list of the candidates whose campaigns Election Canada alleges in an affidavit were recipients of funds that have come under scrutiny as part of the Conservative party's in-and-out scheme:

QUEBEC

Suzanne Courville: Argenteuil-Papineau-Mirabel

Marie-Eve Helie-Lambert: Bas-Richelieu-Nicolet-Becancour

Maxime Bernier: Beauce

Sylvie Boucher: Beauport-Limoilou

Daniel Petit: Charlesbourg-Haute-Saint-Charles

Gary Caldwell: Compton-Stanstead

Jean-Marie Pineault: Drummond

Patrick Robert: Gatineau

Gilles Poirier: Hull-Aylmer

Andrea Paine: Lac-Saint-Louis

Jean-Serge Beauregard: Laurentides-Labelle

Steven Blaney: Levis-Bellechasse

Jacques Gourde: Lotbiniere-Chutes-de-la-Chaudiere

Luc Harvey: Louis-Hebert

Josee Verner: Louis-Saint-Laurent

Christian Paradis: Megantic-L'Erable

Yves Laberge: Montmorency-Charlevoix-Haute Cote Nord

Neil Martin Drabkin: Mount Royal

Allen Mackenzie: Notre-Dame-de-Grace-Lachine

Don Rae: Pierrefonds-Dollard

Lawrence Cannon: Pontiac

Howard Brule: Portneuf-Jacques Cartier

Frederik Boisvert: Quebec

Jean Landry: Richmond-Arthabaska

Ishrat Alam: Saint-Laurent-Cartierville

Jean Lambert: Shefford

Marc Nadeau: Sherbrooke

[Progressive Tory]

The kind of guy voters would like to have a beer with? Not yet. But I suspect he's about to get there.

During tough times voters aren't looking for beer buddies.

[Progressive Tory]

After Dion a three legged alligator would look good to Quebecers. The Convenient Canadian is too unpalatable, he's a legend in his own mind that after 30 some years has found his homeland and a nice pension for mad money.

I am not sure if we'll vote again, but I can't wait for the sparks to fly. Maybe we'll give another kick at the Conservative can.

People in Ontario love him and didn't buy into the 'convenient Canadian' nonsense, and Ignatieff doesn't need a pension, believe me.

Liberal support jumps in Ontario

Liberal support in Ontario clocked in at 44 per cent while the Conservatives have 31 per cent and the NDP 14 per cent, according to the poll, done for the Star and La Presse by Nanos Research.

And we have a third of the seats. Minority almost a given, but a majority not out of reach, partly because Ignatieff has been able to do something Harper couldn't. Steal votes from the NDP (aka 'socialists')

[Alta4ever]

'The red has returned,' Ignatieff says in Quebec

Updated Sun. Mar. 22 2009 12:36 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

"Quebecers do not deserve to be in a permanent opposition in Ottawa. Their place is in power," Ignatieff said, pausing for applause.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories

Federal Liberal leader woos

Ignatieff called the ability to speak both official languages “the essence of being Canadian”.

http://thereview.on.ca/topstory179.php

Sounds to me like Ignatieff like to tell people what he thinks they want to hear and has no problems opening the divide between Quebec and the ROC.

[capricorn]

People in Ontario love him

Love? I don't know too many voters who "love " a politician. You excluded of course.

and didn't buy into the 'convenient Canadian' nonsense,

The majority don't know much about Ignatieff, let alone that he was absent from Canada for 35 years.

and Ignatieff doesn't need a pension,

Need has nothing to do with it. The MP pension is there for the picking. Mind you, his CPP will amount to crumbs since he has barely made any contributions during his working life.

[Alta4ever]

Mount Royal Liberal questions Michael Ignatieff's leadership

by Martin C. Barry

While the federal Liberal party appears united behind its new leader Michael Ignatieff, there remains a pocket of dissenters who continue questioning his leadership, largely because Ignatieff was parachuted in when it became too obvious former leader Stéphane Dion had become a liability.

Just before a meeting of the Liberal Quebec wing general council held in Laval last Sunday, Marsha Akman, a member of Mount Royal Liberal MP Irwin Cotler's riding association, walked around distributing a leaflet urging Liberals to "break the silence about the disloyalty in undermining and sabotaging a duly elected leader."

http://www.westislandchronicle.com/article...leadership.html

[benny]

When one looks hastily, Ignatieff’s smile can seem appealing, but when one takes a more careful look, the smile is scary. He seems to me a Big Brother who wants to become intimate with you by imitating how a Little Bother would speak to you.

[85RZ500]

LOL, Well said benny. A smile like the guy who just sold you a really used car or a house with no foundation.

[benny]

LOL, Well said benny. A smile like the guy who just sold you a really used car or a house with no foundation.

What sadden me is to see that there are Canadians who seem to believe that, even though Canada is very young, it should have a solid foundation.

[Alta4ever]

Even rick mercer is saying what conservatives and indpendant thinkers on this board have been posting about the liberal leader.

http://www.cbc.ca/mercerreport/video.html?...ject=1071183120

[Smallc]

What does he think about Afghanistan: We have a duty to live up to our obligations, but in 2011 we will have done our part and should pull out our combat forces. We should stay in diplomatic and reconstruction role.

What does he think about the Auto Bailout: He wants as few people as possible to have to lose jobs, so the money should be spent. That money should be spent wisely and should be accounted for. After that, we need a plan to repay the debt caused by spending that money.

Environment....I have no idea, but he has said it before.

[August1991]

Even rick mercer is saying what conservatives and indpendant thinkers on this board have been posting about the liberal leader.

http://www.cbc.ca/mercerreport/video.html?...ject=1071183120

I watched that video and while I found it amusing (and I even agree with Mercer about Ignatieff), I disagree about the political implications.

Ignatieff's big fear is that he is an unknown in Quebec. For the moment, he is starting to have the favour of Quebec women but his connection is tenuous. If Ignatieff is not careful, he could easily lose their favour. (Harper once had the advantage and then foolishly lost it.)

Quebecers want desperately to stop this federalist/separatist debate. They would like someone from English-Canada who will be on their side. Harper, a genuine anglo, had the chance and then utterly bungled this. Ignatieff, an immigrant, is suspect - but he's attractive.

----

IMHO, if Harper were smart, he would be a trustworthy Anglo in Quebec. I think though that Harper has lost his chance. The Tories will keep at most 10 seats in Quebec (Beauce, Quebec City). Moreover, it seems that Harper will wait for a new parliament when BC and Alberta have more seats. Harper has sold Quebec short.

[benny]

Environment....I have no idea, but he has said it before.

Ignatieff himself has no idea because he wants to be charming toward Alberta.

[Smallc]

Ignatieff himself has no idea because he wants to be charming toward Alberta.

It will be difficult to develop a policy that balances the oil sands and the environment.

[benny]

It will be difficult to develop a policy that balances the oil sands and the environment.

This policy should be simply to explain to Canadians that 100% of natural resources royalty payments have to be included in the equalization formula and to lower that percentage a bit if the reactions of Albertans remain irrational.