I guess this will be my first critical post of Ignatieff, since he took the helm, but I think he blew it with his comments on Gaza today. Nothing Ignatieff said wasn't true, or didn't accurately present some core Liberal tenets regarding Israel. But, on a day where we've seen outrageous actions that seriously challenge international law and basic human rights, I found the lack of balance very disappointing.What Ignatieff completely missed in stating the case for Israel, it really isn't about Hamas anymore, it's a human tragedy that's completely morphed into something else, well beyond positions, policy or ideology. The fact that Ignatieff, who has championed human rights, an impressive pedigree, can't articulate some nuance here and argue a forceful case for the immediate concern, is simply not good enough. All the comments read like a robotic script, borne of misguided political correctness. In trying to put of the message that Liberals support Israel, Ignatieff ends up sounding as rigid as Harper. And yes, when we finally get a whiff, that the new American administration will return to a more balanced perspective, to hear Ignatieff is even more bothersome.But here's the bottom line: If Stephen Harper and the Conservatives are still in power the day after the budget is released and it's obvious that the coalition is really dead, then the ceasefire is over. I will be back to harping on the difference between Liberal rhetoric and Liberal action, reminding my readers of the miserable record and suggesting that progressive Canadians should support an actually progressive party.
Here's hoping that instead I'm watching a mix of Liberal and NDP MPs getting sworn into cabinet.
7 comments:
Most appalling, I think, was the coarseness of Ignatieff's expression. "We shouldn't touch Hamas with a ten-foot pole," he said, a trite and mindlessly insensitive thing to say on such a day.
I don't see how intelligent Canadians can continue to believe that a choice between Harper and Ignatieff is any choice at all. I've never seen Canadian politics as ugly and thoughtless as they are right now.
thank you.
Had to be said.
By that standard I guess I jumped the gun. But I see no reason to hold my fire. If Ignatieff doesn't hear any protest from people who think his position is profoundly wrong, he has no reason to reconsider it (since obviously principle isn't playing any part in his thinking).
Well I'm slamming him while saying I'd rather not be - I'd rather that those from the liberal wing of the Liberal Party do it while we are still theoretically coalition partners. Come the budget vote and all bets are off though.
I have him subscribed on Youtube (http://www.youtube.com/user/ignatieff), I get his mailing list stuff, and basically I'm waiting for anything inspirational or exciting to come from him. I, honestly, want to be impressed by something he says or does.
If and when that happens, I will post it on my blog as a sign of good faith and light support.
However, right now, I fall asleep during most of his videos and shake my head sadly at most of his press releases.
Perhaps when parliament resumes, we'll see why a small, but powerful lot of the Liberals are so gung-ho for him. At this point, I just don't see it.
Because he's the best that the conservative, business wing of the Liberal Party has to offer and while not the majority they are the back room elite of MPs, talking heads, media figures and gray emininces of the party. The clique with the strongest sense of arrogant entitlement within a party that has a sense of entitlement as one of their primary traits.
They've been turning out the progressive wing of the Liberal Party like prison bitches for years now and assume with deep satisfaction that they will continue to be allowed to do so.
They are almost certainly right.
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