I am becoming increasingly irritated by the Conservative attack ads. Hey what’s wrong with Ignatieff being out of the
country for more than 30 years? It makes him cosmopolitan – a citizen
of the world well-qualified to deal with global crisis like the current
economic one. Although Harper is a university trained economist and
like Ignatieff, an intellectual, all his experience is relatively insular,
much of it with the Citizen’s Coalition. Look at Ignatieff’s family, as Canadian as they come –
his grandfather wrote Lament for a Nation! – and coined the term "Red Tory". I am sure Ignatieff picked up a lot from the conversations around that kitchen table. His time abroad makes him better able to see Canada as the world sees us than Harper is with his limited world experience. As for arrogance, I think Harper is far more arrogant; he seems to be very controlling and doesn’t seem to want to listen to anyone even within his own party. For Harper it’s "my way or the highway". The attack ads are convincing me that I really want Ignatieff and his team as the next government of Canada. Our best Prime Ministers were intellectuals and men of the world who gave us very good government – King, St. Laurent, Pearson, Trudeau – and kept us united.
country for more than 30 years? It makes him cosmopolitan – a citizen
of the world well-qualified to deal with global crisis like the current
economic one. Although Harper is a university trained economist and
like Ignatieff, an intellectual, all his experience is relatively insular,
much of it with the Citizen’s Coalition. Look at Ignatieff’s family, as Canadian as they come –
his grandfather wrote Lament for a Nation! – and coined the term "Red Tory". I am sure Ignatieff picked up a lot from the conversations around that kitchen table. His time abroad makes him better able to see Canada as the world sees us than Harper is with his limited world experience. As for arrogance, I think Harper is far more arrogant; he seems to be very controlling and doesn’t seem to want to listen to anyone even within his own party. For Harper it’s "my way or the highway". The attack ads are convincing me that I really want Ignatieff and his team as the next government of Canada. Our best Prime Ministers were intellectuals and men of the world who gave us very good government – King, St. Laurent, Pearson, Trudeau – and kept us united.
Eric C. Bow 