Ignatieff Cleans Bob`s Clock
Bob Rae and Michael Ignatieff squared off today in Montreal at the Universite de Montreal. Ignatieff booked the room a few months ago, only to have Rae attempt to cancel the appearance, then book his room anyway. So today, the pissing contest began.
I`ll be honest I was a little scared. All our cards were on the table. The Media was going to report this as a showdown. The results, to say the least, were more than what we expected.
Ignatieff organizers were ambitious, booking a room for 300 people, and filling 200 seats. Bob Rae booked a room of 50, and filled the room to capacity. FOUR to ONE. That is fantastic considering the Ignatieff campaign is weak at Universite de Montreal and the Rae people control the Liberals at U of M Law School.
So today, Michael Ignatieff laid out his vision to Quebec. While the Globe and Mail calls it folly, I say it is about time we have a Liberal who has testicular fortitude to debate the most touchy issues of our day. I have lived my entire life with squabbles between Quebec City and Ottawa. The time for these squabbles is about to end. With Michael Ignatieff at the helm of the Liberal Party, we can finally end this argument once and for all. Quebec`s absence leaves a gaping hole in our federation and it is about time that somebody had the balls to address it.
“I want to speak for those Quebeckers who are proud to say, ‘le Québec est ma nation, mais le Canada, est mon pays.’”
I am one of those Quebeckers. Despite the fact that I may be an allophone Italian, I feel that Quebec truly is its own nation that chooses to affirm its place inside Canada. Quebec signing the Constitution will strengthen the document to the point where all further arguments for secession will be moot.
Today Michael laid his vision out in front of a boisterous crowd. Rae also said something too. I`m sure it was relevant.
I`ll be honest I was a little scared. All our cards were on the table. The Media was going to report this as a showdown. The results, to say the least, were more than what we expected.
Ignatieff organizers were ambitious, booking a room for 300 people, and filling 200 seats. Bob Rae booked a room of 50, and filled the room to capacity. FOUR to ONE. That is fantastic considering the Ignatieff campaign is weak at Universite de Montreal and the Rae people control the Liberals at U of M Law School.
So today, Michael Ignatieff laid out his vision to Quebec. While the Globe and Mail calls it folly, I say it is about time we have a Liberal who has testicular fortitude to debate the most touchy issues of our day. I have lived my entire life with squabbles between Quebec City and Ottawa. The time for these squabbles is about to end. With Michael Ignatieff at the helm of the Liberal Party, we can finally end this argument once and for all. Quebec`s absence leaves a gaping hole in our federation and it is about time that somebody had the balls to address it.
“I want to speak for those Quebeckers who are proud to say, ‘le Québec est ma nation, mais le Canada, est mon pays.’”
I am one of those Quebeckers. Despite the fact that I may be an allophone Italian, I feel that Quebec truly is its own nation that chooses to affirm its place inside Canada. Quebec signing the Constitution will strengthen the document to the point where all further arguments for secession will be moot.
Today Michael laid his vision out in front of a boisterous crowd. Rae also said something too. I`m sure it was relevant.
par / by Anthony à / at 9:47 p.m.
7 Commentaires:
MEOW!
I heard Iggy got taken down a notch at the Multicultural Commission/QWLC event tonight when he tried to slag off a prominent Liberal activist.
I also heard from a media friend that the media coverage was 50-50 at today's UdeM events. I'm no great fan of Rae, but I'd hardly say the Iggster cleaned his clock.
BTW: Can you confirm the rumour that our friend Jason Cherniak has joined the Iggy campaign? While he attended the UdeM Iggy event, he was conspicuously absent from the West Island Dion event.
Team Dryden was out in force, of course ;)
Somehow I question the idea of re-opening up constitutional talks. Anyone who has lived through the last round of constitutional talks should know better than to go down that path again...
Interesting ...
stealing Harpers thunder; the thunder Harper stole from Martin.
CG
If we had done this right the first time, nobody would be bitching about separation. You may be tired of constitutional talks. I am tired of referendums.
HAHA
As for Cherniak, he spent the day with some Iggy organizers as he wore his journalist hat. We bantered for a while. Jason is becoming more comfortable with the idea of Michael as leader.
BUT he is STILL FIRMLY in the Dion camp.
I am putting out that fire as soon as I can.
CG, I know you did live in Quebec at one point in your life. Dont you want the referendums to end, dont you wanna put this movement to rest.
If Quebec signs, we can do that.
Grit Heart
Jason Cherniak was there, he can attest to the fact there were more than 100 people in our room.
Rae's room was smaller and even Jacques Saada pegged their number at 70.
Looks like the media got that one wrong. But you are right on choosing too big a room.
Oh and a clarification, the clock comment was a reply to a Rae youth, who, when they found out the two events were co-inciding a few weeks ago, told me "Rae was going to take Ignatieff to the Cleaners"
I applaud Iggy for being more visionary to include Aboriginal people in his talks about creating a federation that respects the rights and history of Canada's indigenous peoples. Sadly, I agree with many columnists who say that Canada is not ready to open the consititutional can of worms. But constitutional lawyers and professors know that Aboriginal people have a very valid claim to being a nation. Not a nation state, but a nation of people.
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