Trapped in Suburbia…

Michael Ignatieff has been telling anyone who will listen that the Liberals are not interested in forming a coalition with the NDP and Bloc.

The Globe and Mail reported on Saturday that Ignatieff is taking umbrage with the latest CPC commercial attacking him for planning a “reckless coalition” in order to seize power if the Liberals don’t win the election. Ignatieff told the Globe:

The Liberal Party would not agree to a coalition. In January, we did not support a coalition. And we do not support a coalition today or tomorrow.

and:

I have a certain credibility on the coalition issue. I could be standing here as the prime minister of Canada. I turned it down. We turned it down in January,

Now, I’m far from being a “political strategist” but it certainly seems to me to be a bad idea to tell everyone how against forming a coalition you were earlier in the year when in reality you were all over the news telling people how you supported and/or wanted to lead it. I mean, you would think somewhere in the bowels of Liberal Party HQ someone might consider doing a quick search on YouTube before sending the leader out to deny his part in the coalition.

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I suppose the Green Party, with its dedication to the environment, has a soft spot for windmills. That’s the only way I can explain why Elizabeth May has decided to run in the B.C. riding of Saanich-Gulf Islands in the upcoming federal election.

Ms. May received a boost in the 2008 election when then-Liberal leader Stephane Dion agreed not to run a candidate in the same riding. Of course, this wasn’t must of a sacrifice for the Liberals since Elizabeth May decided to run in Central Nova – the riding held by Peter McKay and a Conservative party stronghold. It wasn’t much of a surprise, then, that she lost by some 6,000 votes.

At first blush it would appear like an exercise of pure ego that Ms. May would choose to run in a riding that consistently votes Conservative, that was held by a Conservative MP and cabinet minister.

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Yesterday Michael Ignatieff announced that the Liberal party would no longer “support” the Conservative government. The vagueness of his speech – would they not vote in favor? would they vote against? – was clarified by a number of Liberal MPs including deputy-leader Bob Rae who left no doubt when they stepped up to the podium. The Liberals will vote to bring the government down.

According to a CTV News article, in a speech Tuesday to the Liberal caucus, Ignatieff said Harper’s time as prime minister, “is over.”

The real question is whether or not Ignatieff can convince Canadians that he is acting in the country’s best interests.

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After the last Conservative budget the Liberals, under new leader Michael Ignatieff, indicated that they were holding the CPC on “probation” and that they expected updates on how things were proceeding.

Now, with their popularity lagging in the polls and the economy starting to turn around the Liberals are finding themselves with a shrinking list of reasons to force and election. That’s probably why Ignatieff is now telling anyone who will listen that the Conservative government is on “life support” and that the Liberals are going to pull the plug.

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I often find myself wondering how politicians manage to say things that are so obviously ridiculous as to be laughable with a completely straight face.

Recently Michael Ignatieff told Le Devoir, a French-language newspaper, that “an election would not create instability.”

The Toronto Sun is reporting that Conservatives are lashing out at the Liberals over the suggestion. Frankly, it shouldn’t just be the Conservatives.

We’re in the midst of a recession – one we’re only starting to recover from. Still, Ignatieff had the following to say:

But now, we are in a different situation. We can have an election without threatening anything whatsoever. We could even say it would be good for the country.

Without threatening anything whatsoever? Does Ignatieff really believe proroguing Parliament, stopping all the work committees are doing, killing any bills on the table, and throwing the country into another $200-300 million dollar election wouldn’t threaten anything?

In reality an election now will delay things by months – first there has to be an election, ministers need to be named and sworn, MPs need to get settled in their offices, etc.

What’s the point? The polls certainly suggest another Conservative minority.

But I guess when you’re the “natural governing party” you’ll use any excuse to try and claw your way back into power. I mean, if the Liberals just force enough election maybe – just maybe – they can be in charge again.