Funny how he saved all his best stuff...

...for the BBC...

Less than a year after he asked voters to make him prime minister, Michael Ignatieff is now warning that Quebec and Canada are almost two separate countries, drifting towards a possible breakup.

Ignatieff says he's saddened to see how Canada and Quebec have become isolated, with the optimism of decades past having given way to disillusionment.

"Now effectively, we’re almost two separate countries."

That whirring sound you hear is P.E.T. spinning in his grave.

**********

UPDATE: Ask a Liberal "intellectual"
Michael Ignatieff... making friends wherever he goes...

"Parti Québécois leader Pauline Marois concluded that to have a prominent federalist arrive at the same conclusion as herself was another sign that her cause was just."

**********

FROM THE COMMENTS:

"'Two separate countries' and he has no foothold in either, as both feet are firmly stuck in his mouth."

Surprise, surprise...

...you mean the guy who got caught stark naked in the Chinatown bawdy house?

-- OTTAWA -- Despite a recent pledge to restore order and civility to the House of Commons, NDP leader Jack Layton was the least civil Parliamentarian prior to this spring's election, according to researchers' analysis of Question Period.

So much for the myth of the nasty Neo-con, huh?

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and former Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe were the only party leaders above the civility average of all party MPs. Harper scored 50 while Duceppe — who was defeated in the May 2 vote — scored a 51.

By contrast, Layton's score of 39 was closely followed by Ignatieff at 40.

Enjoy him, Quebec... he's all yours.

**********

RELATED: And pray tell, what news of...

... the Natural Stumbling Party...

"We’ve taken our lumps and our licks and we’re going to be back in the House very eagerly tomorrow.”

Lumps & licks... say, Bob... you haven't been out partying with Jacko, have you?

Michael Who?

"He found someone bent on seeking redemption and a man who aspired to be a winning politician, having only ever led one revolution – a protest against a pajama party at Upper Canada College."

**********

RELATED: Prime Minister Srephen Harper...

...think of him as the Anti-Jack...

-- DEAUVILLE, France (Reuters) -- Group of Eight leaders had to soften a statement urging Israel and the Palestinians to return to negotiations because Canada objected to a specific mention of 1967 borders, diplomats said Friday.

The government has adopted a staunchly pro-Israel position in international negotiations since coming to power in 2006, with Prime Minister Stephen Harper saying Canada will back Israel whatever the cost.

Pop quiz, folks... name the only democratic country in the entire Middle East.

**********

UPDATE: Thx DDTTR... bad link fixed

I've been having trouble inserting urls ever since upgrading to Firefox 4. Anybody else have a similar issue?

Deputy Prime Minister Michael Ignatieff...

...it does have a certain ring to it...

-- OTTAWA -- Liberal Senator Larry Campbell told Postmedia News on Tuesday that if Harper were returned to power on May 2, it could be time to discuss merging the NDP and the Liberals.

Hmmm... if Iggy has to choose between being Deputy PM... or slinking off to Hah-vuhd with his tail between his legs... which do you think he'll choose?

Ignatieff also told reporters Wednesday he sees common sets of values between both parties. “We have certain values that we have always shared and we’ve shared for 60 years.”

Yeah... that's what I thought.

If Michael Ignatieff is working his way...

...backwards from World War I... how long will it take him to apologise for the "Highland Clearances"...

And he said Parliament should issue an apology for the decision by British Columbia authorities to refuse to let Sikh passengers disembark in Canada from the liner Komagata Maru in 1914.

Heck... he's already back to 1885.

**********

RELATED: Playing by Liberal rules

**********

UPDATE: Volpe busted

A Liberal Party canvasser has been dismissed after removing Green Party campaign flyers from mailboxes and replacing them with Liberal materials while door-knocking with Toronto incumbent Joe Volpe.

Ask Professor Zinfandel

"This is the list of the 10 Most Sophisticated Electorates in the World According to Michael Ignatieff. Quebec goes at the top. Michael Ignatieff can fill in the rest."

**********

UPDATE 17:00:

Just back from the local advance poll... that's 2 more votes for Conservative incumbent Daryl Kramp. Scrutineers say the word is that Prince Edward & Hastings Cty. stations have been quite busy.

Come back, Stephane...

...all is forgiven...

Waking up in Montreal to stunning polls showing the NDP is suddenly the first choice of Quebeckers, Michael Ignatieff is campaigning in two urban ridings where not even big-name candidates in the province can assure Liberal wins.

To counter rising interest in the NDP, the Grit Leader points to his star candidates as evidence his party has people who are ready to fill key cabinet roles.

But the mere fact he needs to campaign on behalf of two of his stronger candidates underscores what the polls are saying: Things aren’t looking good for the Liberals in Quebec.

But, but... Michael Ignatieff says we're...

...living in a brutal dictatorship...

"Canadians share second place among the most contented people on the planet, according to a global survey that asked respondents to rate their own lives."

**********

RELATED: Iggy slips, Liberal Party organ...

...slams into hyperdrive...

"Mr. Harper has been setting this trap ever since Stéphane Dion’s ill-fated attempt to take power 2 1/2 years ago. Now, Mr. Ignatieff has wandered straight into it. He has 11 days to find his way out."

Or, is it just possible Adam... that instead of that "evil chessmaster Stephen Harper's" longstanding diabolical machinations... your aristocratic Harvard-trained hero simply tripped over his enormous silver tongue?

Of course not.

**********

THE COMPASSIONATE, INTELLECTUAL LEFT REPLIES:

"Elect a Harper majority and we'll see what dictatorship is like."

"Hahahahahahahahahahaha!"
Posted by liberal supporter to halls of macadamia at 7:23 AM, April 21, 2011

Yup... gotta love that "kangaroo courts for free speech" thing, huh Libby?
Mark it on your calendar... the day comedy died in Canada.

**********

LAST WORD: Irony... not dead at all

Earle was just on Adler and described himself as a leaning left socialist, and a Layton supporter.

What Canadians can expect...

...for their 300 million dollar Iggy-engineered election...
The fact is, the only reason we're going to the polls now... is Iggy and his coalition buddies setting up that initial vote of non-confidence. Now he tells us... election be damned... he gets a chance, he'll do it again.

So there it is, folks... from the Leader of the Opposition's own mouth... unless there's a Conservative majority... stand by for Prime Minister Ignatieff. And given the "show me yours, I'll show you mine" nature of politics... is it that far a stretch to imagine Defense Minister Chow... or, gawd forbid, Finance Minister Duceppe?

Steve Janke has more...

"After that, the platforms will be combined as well. Whatever you think you were voting for, forget about it. The Liberal platform be put on the table along with the NDP platform, subject to horse-trading as Michael Ignatieff figures out what price he'll have to pay for Jack Layton's support."

"And talking about paying, in all likelihood the combined seat count of the Liberals-NDP coalition twosome will not be larger than the Conservative caucus, so the Bloc Quebecois will have to be on board with this. And they won't come cheap."

**********

RELATED: Ya feelin lucky, punk?

The question now is whether Mr. Ignatieff’s words will create the same level of alarm that attended the failed 2008 attempt by the Liberals and NDP to form a coalition government, or whether Canadians will embrace the highly unusual scenario of a party forming government weeks after finishing second in the polls.

Remember... friends don't let friends vote Coalition.

"Real men" don't worry about perjury

I'd love to see Michael Ignatieff giving sworn testimony...You can publicly lie to a whole country... I imagine you can lie anyplace, anytime.

"Liberals say they will post an online poll Monday asking Canadians which new Harper quote on health care they should use to replace one 'that was inaccurate'."

"Inaccurate", huh? Looks like Hanoi Jane is still buckin' for that Senate seat.

You've gotta love the automatic Fiberal reaction here... get caught... and instead of retracting & apologising, you call your opponent a wuss.

Is there anything Michael Ignatieff wouldn't say or do to become Prime Minister.

The answer seems pretty clear.

Meanwhile... in other "the childrens is r futcher" news... I'm with Kate... let them eat debt.

**********

THANK YOU COMMENT MODERATION:

"it appears to me, I see Harper demanding a majority, or the separatists are gonna fornicate with your daughters goddamit!"

Oh, nonny... you do all the work for me.

FROM THE COMMENTS:

"I suppose it depends on your definition of 'in' and 'Canada'."

Michael Ignatieff... PhD Hypocrisy

Oh, no... you don't wanna misread Professor Zinfandel... THAT WAS THEN...

-- OTTAWA -- Michael Ignatieff is drawing a link between disgraced former cabinet minister Helena Guergis and organized crime. “I don’t want to make false accusations but you don’t get cocaine at a corner drug store, right? You have to get it from somewhere, from someone and usually that means organized crime.”

-- OTTAWA -- Mr. Ignatieff also focused on the fact that Mr. Harper was publicly standing by Ms. Guergis just 24 hours ago. "It raises questions about the Prime Minister's judgment."

-- OTTAWA -- Michael Ignatieff launched an aggressive attack on status of women minister Helena Guergis today, saying that she’s a liar and doesn’t deserve to be in cabinet.

THIS IS NOW...

-- OTTAWA -- Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said it is astounding is that Conservative Leader Stephen Harper threw Helena Guergis out of caucus based on unsubstantiated allegations.

**********

UPDATE: Iggy says... Harper & Hosni...

...separated at birth...

"This is the kind of thing you'd expect maybe in Egypt or Syria or some country that doesn't know democracy," Ignatieff said, after meeting with college students in Sudbury.

A shocking reference? Not to Ignatieff...

Ignatieff continues to insist that he'll take the high road in the second half of the campaign, but there are growing signs the Liberal game plan is aiming for the jugular.

If that's Iggy's high road... I can't wait 'til he decides to get down & dirty.

**********

UPDATE2: I spoke too soon...

...looks like they're already there.

Need an actual answer to a question?

Then maybe you'd best not ask an expatriate academic... FLIP, FLIP, FLIP...

During the French-language leaders’ debate, the Liberal chief was adamant that he’d let the United Nations Security Council make the ultimate call on whether to send Canadian troops abroad.

“The Canadian army must NEVER be used outside the country without the authorization of the UN,” Ignatieff told his debate partners.

...but just wait a day and... FLOP...

Then he dialed back his debate rhetoric and admitted there could be exceptions.

“Well, the UN screwed up in Rwanda, it screwed up in Bosnia — it screws up most of the time,” Ignatieff is quoted as saying in a Maclean’s magazine article in June, 2003. “The United Nations is a messy, wasteful, log-rolling organization.”

Say what you will about Michael Ignatieff... he's flexible...

"It was right for me to support the Iraq war when I was an academic, because academics live in outer space on Planet Zinfandel, and play with ideas all day."

"But now, as a politician in a country that opposed the war, I'll admit I screwed up, because politicians must deign to harness the wild mares of whimsy to the ox-cart of cold, calculated reality."

Or, hells bells... maybe you could ask a "community advisor"...

"Their vision is less about reducing the deficit than it is about changing the basic social compact in America," he said, supposedly pitting "children with autism or Down's syndrome" against "every millionaire and billionaire in our society."

Of course, Barry... it's just that simple.

Did you know that Stephen Harper...

...is "demanding absolute power?"

I mean... it must be true... the Liberal Party has been bombarding me with this statement for the last couple of hours. They wouldn't lie to us, right?

It just sounds so ominous.

Never mind that the Prime Minister is apparently going to burn our healthcare system to the ground... (a "fact" the Liberals punctuate with a bleeping medical alarm sounding the actual moment of death). This points to a larger agenda.

What other warnings do the Liberals have in store for us? Maybe a sordid tale of Lesbians & Gays being rounded up, electroshocked, tattooed and sent to Baffin Island? Mandatory military training for primary school students?

Far-fetched? Think again.

Remember "Soldiers in our Streets... with guns?"

Wake up and smell the socialist manipulation.

**********

FROM THE COMMENTS:

"Is it true that the next phase of the Economic Action Plan involves turning Canada into The Death Star?"

You know what? Never mind the lie...

...hell, never mind the vote... just ask yourself... where is Michael Ignatieff's heart? --

"I am an American Democrat. I will vote for Kerry in November," Ignatieff told The Glasgow Herald in 2004.

**********

UPDATE:

"Liberal spokesman Michel Liboiron was quoted in the QMI article stating that Mr. Ignatieff “has never voted in a foreign election.” Mr. Liboiron acknowledged Monday his comment was wrong."

**********

THANK YOU COMMENT MODERATION:

Here's a hint folks... if your comment starts off with the words "nazi" or "moron"... chances are, it goes straight into the garbage.

Which prompts yet another nonsensical barrage from my biggest fan...

Posted by Anonymous to halls of macadamia at 1:47 PM, April 11, 2011
Posted by Anonymous to halls of macadamia at 1:54 PM, April 11, 2011
Posted by Anonymous to halls of macadamia at 1:57 PM, April 11, 2011
Posted by Anonymous to halls of macadamia at 2:07 PM, April 11, 2011

Sorry, nonny... not even remotely interested.

Come back, Stephane...

...all is forgiven...

"The more he claims to have modest roots — as he did when he said his immigrant father came off the boat in 1928 'without anything' (in fact, by his own account in his book The Russian Album, the family had assets enough to buy land in Britain and send all their school age sons to elite schools in Canada) — the less convincing it sounds."

Yeah... let's take a closer look at Count Ignatieff's humble beginnings...

"Ignatieff entered Upper Canada College, perhaps the most elite school in the country as an 11-year-old boarding student."

Yup... just a regular Joe Sixpack.

**********

FROM THE COMMENTS:

"Michael Ignatieff's claim to his parents "boat people" status is an insult to every family that DID come to Canada in 'Clifford Sifton's medicine show'."

"They came from eastern Europe, mostly Ukraine and represented one of the best group of immigrants ever to come here,the Prairie farmers."

"To anyone who knows their story of hardship and perseverance, Ignatieff's comments are a slap in the face."

Obviously, the left hand hasn't a clue...

...what the other lefter hand is doing...

"Mark Holland, announced that a Liberal government would not undo any Tory legislation passed to date. It was an attempt to dispel Conservative charges that Mr. Holland’s party is soft on crime."

"Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff later contradicted Mr. Holland, and is making no promises to preserve Conservative laws already passed."

Not to get all nit-picky here, Michael... but don't you mean... "laws already passed"... by the minority Conservative government... with the support in Parliament... of the Liberal & NDP opposition parties?

Fortunately... there's a logical alternative to the "Can't get there from here" party...Hmmm... that sounds interesting...

There are 11 Conservative justice bills that Parliament did not pass before the Harper government was defeated March 25. Together, these bills would:

» Crack down on organized drug crime;

» End house arrest for serious and violent criminals;

» End house arrest for serious personal injury offences such as sexual assault;

» Eliminate pardons for serious criminals;

» Establish tougher sentences and mandatory jail time for sexual offences against children;

» Strengthen the handling of violent and repeat young offenders (Sébastien’s Law);

» Give law enforcement and national security agencies up-to-date tools to fight crime in today’s high-tech telecommunications environment;

» Give the government more discretion when considering requests to transfer Canadian prisoners to Canada from other countries;

» Provide police and the courts more tools to investigate and prevent terrorism;

» Allow victims of terrorism to sue perpetrators and supporters of terrorism in Canadian courts;

» And streamline long and complex trials.

**********

RELATED: Somebody please, please ask Snarky Mark...

...where the "natural governing party" stands on convicted terrorists...
Remember, folks... friends don't let friends vote Liberal.

Yet another Jane Taber tongue bath...

...must be Tuesday...

Yeah, Janie... Stephen Harper & Jimmy Hoffa... it's like they were separated at birth...

"Mr. Ignatieff wasted no time calling out Mr. Harper for his campaign’s treatment of a young woman who tried to attend a Conservative rally in London but was thrown out by “two big goons” because she has Liberal friends on Facebook."

So, Michael... I'm confused... what happened to the guy who was whingin' & whinin' about those nasty Neocons and their hurtful personal attacks?

Nah... forget about that... it's way more fun just to paint the Conservatives as the latest incarnation of the KKK. You really think Ms. Aslam was asked to leave because she has "Liberal friends?"

Never mind "codewords"... exactly what "Liberal friends" are we talking about here?

Oh... right.

Of course, CBC is quick to pick up the "Conservatives are Mindless Goons" meme...

"Izzy Hirji posted on his Facebook page how he and a 'handful' of other students were escorted out of a Tory rally in Guelph."

"Hirji said he was participating in a "vote mob" that greeted the Conservative leader to the southern Ontario city."

A "vote mob?" You might wanna be careful with that word, Izzy... it hasn't been getting such great press lately.

I wonder how Ms. Aslam & Mr Hirji feel about being Michael Ignatieff's latest pawns in his war on Stephen Harper.

The fact is, I'm not privy to why these folks were escorted out of these particular events. But neither, apparently... are Michael Ignatieff or Jane Taber.

Was it an overzealous campaign worker? Was there some concern on the part of the security detail? Did any of the professional journalists or political operatives ask any other questions?

Or is this just another feeble attempt to score cheap political points?

What I do know... is that attempting to turn this into some sort of "Evil Stephen Harper" nonsense is beyond the pale.

And Iggy & company should be ashamed of themselves.

**********

UPDATE: Just doing their part

The Toronto "Red Star" claims Ms. Aslam was "frog-marched" out of the event.
Boy... I sure hope she's laying assault charges.

**********

THE COMPASSIONATE INTELLECTUAL LEFT REPLIES:

"The PM's Goons? They're laughing at the rest of us. They're checking their ever expanding lists of "dissidents", and slavering over what they'll be able to once Steve gets the majority. They're only downcast because they didn't get a chance to taser those bad women."
Posted by liberal supporter to halls of macadamia at 3:00 AM, April 06, 2011

Another nonsensical, middle of the night bulletin from my biggest fan.

Cue banjo music.

**********

LAST WORD: Hang on... Izzy Hirji...

...that sounds so familiar...

"...stephen harpers plan is ridiculous, 40 years without results, and death to Kyoto!?!?!?! OMGWTF im ready to like go to Ottawa myself an take him down..."

It's true... a drowning man will grasp...

...at a sword...

Ig’s caught in a vote splitting nightmare.

As such there’s only one way he gets to be PM; enough Canadians need to find the idea of a dark, reactionary Nixonian figure like Harper with unfettered control over Parliament so repellant that they vote in sufficient numbers for ABH (Anybody But Harper) thereby keeping the Tories well south of a majority.

At that point the Grits and the Dippers make a deal (with the informal backing of the Bloc) to form a government thereby making good on the democratic will of the people (demonstrable since two out of three Canadians will have voted ABH).

As Jeffrey Simpson pointed out Ignatieff didn't help his cause by “ruling out” a coalition - but what's a campaign promise for if it's not to be broken.

**********

UPDATE: Good thing he reserved that...

...spot at Hah-vuhd...
**********

RELATED: Catch the fever...

"I should probably advise the German admins as to why the Katewerk.com server has been shaking. Since going live just 24 hours ago, the Michael Ignatieff Election Sign Generator has generated 14,700 election slogans and counting."

Yeah... I heard "Sixpack Special"...

...and "Beanie Weenie Budget" were on Ignatieff's shortlist...

The “family pack” billing suggests Canadians will get a bargain if they vote for a Liberal government. But buyers should be aware they may soon feel remorse when they find out how long it is on spending and how very short on investment.

Wait a sec... they're calling it the “family pack”? Seriously?

Anybody thought to get a sound bite from Iggy's ex-wife & kids on that particular brain wave?

Better yet... somebody should talk to his brother.

**********

THE COMPASSIONATE INTELLECTUAL LEFT REPLIES:

"How long do you think it'll take to find hookers and blow within the holier than thou conservatives? Wake up fool."
Posted by Anonymous to halls of macadamia at 7:15 PM, April 04, 2011

Looks like my biggest fan is still too cheap to pay for actual phone sex.