The Quebec lieutenant

Michael Ignatieff decided yesterday that he is going to serve as his own Quebec lieutenant for now. And so today, all of his first three interventions in Question Period were on the subject of Quebec and jobs in the province.
What I want to know now is -- who speaks for Toronto?

Coderre on Facebook

Denis Coderre, the ex-lieutenant for Quebec, shows this morning that he hasn't lost his sense of humour. Here's a screenshot of a cartoon he's posted on Facebook.

"It's another great day in the life of the Leader of the Opposition"

Here's the full transcript of Ignatieff's scrum today; on the subject of Coderre's resignation and the economic update.

Michael Ignatieff:        Just a brief statement on the economic - the economic statement we've had today.  When we demanded this as a condition of our support for the government, we didn't want game-playing.  We wanted real accountability for Canadians.  Two weeks ago, they let slip out that the deficit had gone from 50 to 56 billion.  They let slip out that they're going to boost payroll taxes by $13 billion.  Today, they came out and said 90 percent of their projects have been committed.  In June it was 80 percent, right?  These - we're playing with words here and the reality is we've found is that only 12 percent of their infrastructure money has actually got into shovels in the ground.  So the issue for us is just basic trust with what this government is saying to us.  We're tired of this kind of game-playing.  We wanted real accountability.  We wanted a government that tells Canadians the truth.  We've had enough and so what we will do on - sometime today is move a very simple motion of non confidence that says this party, the Liberal Party of Canada cannot continue to have confidence in the government.

Je vais le dire en français.  Nous avons un déficit encore qui grimpe à 56 milliards de dollars.  Nous avons un million 500 cents gens sans emploi.  Nous avons un taux de chômage chez la jeunesse qui grimpe vers 20 pour-cent.  Nous avons une hausse de taxes cachée de 13 milliards.  Assez de jeux.  Assez de jeux.  Nous allons déposer une motion de non confiance très simple plus tard dans la journée parce que ce que j'ai dit à Sudbury je tiens bon, je tiens vrai.  Nous méritons mieux comme Canadiens et comme citoyens alors nous allons déposer une motion de non confiance plus tard cet après-midi.  So.

Question:            Par qui remplacez-vous M. Coderre, M. Ignatieff?

Michael Ignatieff:        Sorry?
Question:            Par qui remplacez-vous Denis Coderre?

Michael Ignatieff:        Sur la situation de Denis, je regrette sa démission bien sûr parce que c'est un ami et un collègue.  Je ne le remplacerais pas pour le moment.  J'aurais plus de lieutenant au Québec.  Je suis dévoué à un projet, un projet très simple, ça veut dire le renouveau du Parti libéral du Canada au Québec.  Il faut se rappeler des faits.  Nous avons plus de je crois c'est 68 candidats déjà nommés.  C'était le bon travail de Denis Coderre et pas seulement de Denis, de toute une équipe au Québec qui ont travaillé pendant des fous pendant des mois et des mois et des mois pour renouveler l'écartement, pour accroître nos finances, pour créer une nouvelle formation à la base.  Et moi je vois les résultats. Samedi soir j'étais à Trois-Rivières pour le 375e anniversaire de cette grande ville. C'est un moment d'émotion pas mal.  J'ai dîné à un restaurant Chez Angeline. Tout le monde se précipitait vers moi pour dire cette fois-ci je vais voter libéral.  C'est ça le renouveau sur le terrain.

Question:            (Inaudible) besoin de quelqu'un pour (inaudible)?

Michael Ignatieff:        Ça m'encourage qu'il y a dans une ville comme Trois-Rivières les gens qui viennent vers nous parce qu'ils disent nous cherchons une alternative au gouvernement Harper qui ne représente aucunement nos valeurs. 

Question:            Mais en ne nommant ---

Michael Ignatieff:        Ça c'est le renouveau qu'on va poursuivre parce que je suis déterminé à le faire.  Nous avons une très bonne équipe au Québec et nous aurons ---

Question:            (Inaudible)

Michael Ignatieff:        --- juste pour terminer, nous aurons un bon congrès plus tard dimanche et nous allons continuer avec le renouveau du parti et je reste ferme sur ça et sur ma conviction que nous sommes sur la bonne voie. 

Question:            (Inaudible) moral authority and do you need to change some of the people in your office like he was saying?

Michael Ignatieff:        Denis Coderre did a terrific job.  We have 68 of 75 candidates nominated.  We've got an amazing team in Quebec.  People focus on Denis but Denis brought together a team that includes, you know, a dozen of some of the best and most committed Liberals in Quebec.  That team continues.  It will continue because I'm determined to offer Quebecers a choice.  Stephen Harper does not represent the values of Quebecers.  The Liberal Party does.  When I was in Trois-Rivières this weekend, people were coming up out of - from restaurants to shake my hand and say this time we're going to vote Liberal because we believe that you represent us and you will bring Quebec into the centre of a moderate progressive government that represents (inaudible) and that - and that's renewal.  And that's where we're going to go.

Question:            (Inaudible) Toronto, le PLQ se dirigeait à partir de Toronto.  M. Coderre semblait (inaudible) à mot voilé que Bob Rae avait beaucoup (inaudible).

Michael Ignatieff:        Oh, écoutez, j'ai dans cette équipe Jean-Marc Fournier, Marc-André Blanchard, Yves Gougou, Serge Paquette --- je pourrais continuer encore pour cinq minutes --- de noms de bons gars -- Denise Verreault et j'en finis pas. L'idée que ce parti est dirigé de Toronto me fait rire et ça fait rire en Colombie-Britannique.  Ça fait rire en Alberta.  Ça fait rire dans les provinces atlantiques.  Nous sommes -- je mène une formation pan-canadienne.  Je suis fier de mon équipe au Québec.  Ils ont la direction et la responsabilité avec moi, avec moi, je répète, pour le renouveau du parti.  Et ça se poursuit.

Question:            (Inaudible) have this kind of, you know, airing of the party's internal problems when here you are with a confidence motion, you're ready to go into an election or agitating for one and yet this kind of stuff is happening around (inaudible).

Michael Ignatieff:        It's another great day in the life of the Leader of the Opposition.  But let's be very clear and I'll say it in English because I said, you know, the thing that matters to a political leader is to have dinner in a restaurant in Trois-Rivières on a Saturday night and have people come up to you right out of the blue - I don't know who these people are - and say, "Mr. Ignatieff, you're our guy in Quebec because we don't trust Mr. Harper and we're tired of voting for the Bloc," right?  That's what this is all about.  We can talk about this person and that person and go back and forth but that's what I as a leader hold onto because that's where it's going. 

Question:            En tant que chef vous avez toujours dit qu'il faut être capable de reconnaître surtout des erreurs.  Est-ce que vous croyez en avoir fait au cours des dernières semaines en passant d'une position à une autre pour tenir (inaudible) un homme qui il y a quelques semaines (inaudible).

Michael Ignatieff:        Écoutez, je suis un homme.  Je suis très imparfait comme allait reconnaître ma femme.  Elle va vous offrir une liste de mes imperfections.

Question:            Mais c'est vous qui (inaudible).

Michael Ignatieff:        Okay.  Et ça c'est la première chose.  Ce que j'ai commencé dès mon arrivée comme chef de l'Opposition c'est de faire une  percée vers le Québec, de dire on va changer le discours au Québec.  On va être à l'écoute du Québec.  On va renouveler notre équipe.  On va chercher de nouveaux candidats.  Denis Coderre a fait un très bon travail dans ce domaine-là et puis nous avons -- nous avons élargi le champ afin d'avoir M. Cauchon dans l'équipe, avoir -- d'avoir une candidate de l'envergure de Nathalie Le Prohon.  Je suis -- il faut -- il faut se concentrer sur les résultats.  Ce que je constate au Québec c'est qu'il y a une volonté d'être à l'écoute du Parti libéral du Canada et être à l'écoute de Michael Ignatieff et c'est ça le renouveau.  C'est ça la bonne voie et cette voie-là ça continue avec l'équipe que j'ai déjà en place, que nous avons en place au Québec et merci.

A true loss for Liberals

For many years, behind the scenes, the federal Liberal caucus relied on a couple of smart, discreet professionals in the art of Parliament and procedure.

One was Jerry Yanover and another was Rick Wackid. 

This summer, the Liberals lost Yanover to a sudden, fatal heart attack.

Today, they lost Rick Wackid, who succumbed to Lou Gehrig's disease after an all-too-short battle.  He was just 44 years old. Only about 15 months ago, Wackid was stunned by the diagnosis; he sent around a heart-wrenching email that talked about how this was not part of his life plan. His daughter was just 13 years old -- she's now 14.

Wackid was still feeling well enough to attend the Liberals' summer caucus in Winnipeg in 2008, only a little more than a year ago, and Jane Taber at The Globe and Mail wrote a lovely story about how he was bravely facing his illness. 

I'll remember Rick fondly. He was a quiet, decent gentleman and he's gone too soon. Our condolences to Rick's family and his extended Liberal family too.

Liberal past meets Liberal present

About 22 years ago, I began my career as a federal political reporter and this was one of the stories in the news at the time.

Liberal youth wing abandoning Turner

Canadian Press

265 words

29 August 1987

 

Canadian Press

OTTAWA

The executive of the Quebec youth wing of the Liberal Party will ask for the resignation of party leader John Turner at a news conference scheduled for Monday in Montreal.

Time has run out for Mr. Turner, Denis Coderre, the president of the Young Liberals of Quebec , said in a telephone interview yesterday.

Mr. Coderre, once a strong Turner loyalist, co-ordinated the pro-Turner youth movement at the convention that confirmed Mr. Turner's leadership last November, and was also youth organizer during his 1984 leadership campaign.

Mr. Coderre, 24, plans to seek the Liberal nomination in the riding of Joliette in the next federal election campaign. The riding is currently held by Tory Roch LaSalle.

The youth leader said he believes it will be impossible for the party to make a comeback from its poor showing in the latest opinion polls if Mr. Turner remains as leader.

He said his past unconditional support for Mr. Turner has wavered following recent statements by party president Michel Robert, who said this week that Mr. Turner has very little time to turn things around, and the call by MP Alain Tardif on Thursday for Mr. Turner's resignation.

Asked who he would support for leader of the party, Mr. Coderre indicated he would back former leadership candidate Jean Chretien.

Mr. Tardif, the only MP so far to ask openly for the resignation of Mr. Turner, will meet today in Montreal with the caucus executive and on Sunday a full caucus meeting is scheduled in Ottawa.

Answers after Question Period

Well, now we know the plan for tomorrow. The PMO notice for tomorrow is below and Dimitri Soudas has assured us that yes, the report will be tabled in the Commons when the PM starts to speak, in accordance with tradition, parliamentary respect.

PRIME MINISTER STEPHEN HARPER’S

PUBLIC EVENTS

 

OTTAWA – Public events for Prime Minister Stephen Harper for Monday, September 28^th are:

 

Saint John, New Brunswick

 

12:15 p.m. – Prime Minister Stephen Harper will participate in a photo opportunity.

 

Southern Railway, Mechanical Shop & Administration Office

11 Gifford Road, Saint John, N.B. E2M 4X8

 

*Photo opportunity only (cameras and photographers only)

 

NOTES:

 

• Media are required to have proper identification for accreditation.
• Media are asked to arrive and congregate at the Mechanical Shop no later than 11:15am.
• Media will be transported to the location of the photo op.

 

Saint John, New Brunswick

 

13:30 p.m. - Prime Minister Stephen Harper will make an announcement.

 

Southern Railway, Mechanical Shop & Administration Office

11 Gifford Road, Saint John, N.B. E2M 4X8

Questions post Question Period

Thanks to CTV, we have learned today that the Prime Minister plans to unveil his economic-stimulus update in Saint John, New Brunswick. Perhaps at a doughnut shop?

What we don't know, so far, is whether anything will be tabled in the House of Commons first, as is the long practice for budgets, committee reports, etc. (The thinking being that members of Parliament are owed the respect of first hearing of the work of government.)

We do know that there will be a confidence vote three days after this report is tabled, in accordance with the agreement Mr. Harper signed with Mr. Ignatieff last June. For the bored/curious/nerds out there, here's the wording of that agreement.  Also printed below here --  as the draft released when first announced.

DRAFT MOTION

THAT this House recognizes that its constitutional role of holding the government to account requires regular, orderly, timely, and clearly understood procedural opportunities for doing so, while not unduly restricting the ability of the government to manage its legislative program, and therefore, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of this House, when the House adjourns on Friday, June 19th, 2009, it shall stand adjourned until 11:00 a.m. on Monday, September 14th, 2009, whereupon it will commence its fall sittings for the Supply Period ending on December 10th, 2009; provided that:

(i) the House will not sit the week beginning September 21st 2009 to avoid conflicts with G-20 meetings;

(ii) in addition to the accountability reports already required by the Liberal amendment to the 2009 Budget motion, the Government will prepare a further accountability report, meeting all the requirements of that said Liberal amendment, and table it in Parliament during the week of September 28th, 2009, to be followed by an allotted day for the Official Opposition two sitting days later; and

(iii) this House orders that section (10) of Standing Order 81 be amended by adding, immediately after paragraph (c) thereof, the following:

" (d) In each of the supply periods described in paragraph (a), the first allotted day shall be no earlier than the eighth sitting day and no later than the twelfth sitting day in that period; and no fewer than four nor more than seven sitting days shall be permitted to pass between allotted days within each period, provided that, in any case, the last allotted day in each period shall not be more than seven sitting days before the last sitting day in that period."

Pen vs. microphone

 Good writer/bad talkers? This NYT article doesn't mention Ignatieff, but it's hard not to think of him and some of the observations in the previous post when you read this article.  In sum, it says that good writers can be very bad conversationalists, a little lacking in people skills.

Of course, this also explains why the whole business of putting writers of any kind on TV may be misguided. (Present company included.)

Ignatieff, as seen in the U.K.

The Guardian has a lengthy feature today on Michael Ignatieff, obviously based on an interview Rachel Cooke carried out while the Liberal leader was in the U.K. in July. While he'll  be heartened by this phrase in the introduction  -- "the man most likely to become the country's next prime minister" --  overall, Cooke has presented a mixed portrait of a man more familiar to Brits as a TV host. And she warns he's not the man he used to be: "But Ignatieff used to be a writer. Listening to him now, it's as if he's been sedated, or body-snatched, or something. He's like a jazz man who's lost his sense of rhythm."  

Some other interesting bits:

* On how politics resembles the writing life: "If you lived in literary London and had as many bad reviews as I did, you kind of toughen up anyway. And painful as it is to say, I've learned more from bad reviews than good reviews. Politics is like getting a really bad review: a stinker that you know all your friends are reading."

* On politics as an adventure for the literal-minded: "It's what you say, not what you mean, and you have to say only what you mean. Your question implies that I've suddenly had to tie myself in knots. No, I don't have to tie myself in knots, and I don't have to cease being who I am. But I have to watch what I say because the public has no other way to judge me than by what they read. I can't walk around saying: 'I keep saying these dreadful things, but I'm actually a nice fellow!' Why should they believe that?"

 

* On meeting Barack Obama: "Going to meet the president of the United States is a big deal. You do get, erm, a little apprehensive. But he is a master political animal. Grips you by the elbow, tells you that he's read your books, sits you down, makes you feel like you're the only guy in the world. Thirty-five minutes later, you think: that was a great guy. But you don't feel surreal. You feel you're sitting down with an extremely intelligent, good listener who's locked right in. A month into his presidency, and he conveyed the impression that he's always been president. That was genuinely astounding. He was at ease in some amazing way."

* And if this whole political thing doesn't work out? "I'm not going to die out there if people don't like me because there's someone at home who thinks I'm OK. I can't put it more directly than that. I have a sort of confidence, not necessarily in myself, but in the life I've led. I've done a lot of things. I'm not a kid any more. I feel I know some things about human beings, and what they're likely to do."

Is nothing sacred?

Kind of funny/ironic, considering that our Prime Minister fled to a doughnut  purveyor this week to avoid terrorist sympathizers at the UN.

Via  The Daily Beast:

1. Terror Suspect Was 'The Donut Guy'

It's enough to make you paranoid: The friendly vendor who hands you
coffee every morning just the way you like it and sports a "God Bless
America" sign on his cart could be apparently plotting to kill as many
of your neighbors as possible in a massive terror attack. The New York
Times offers up an early portrait of Najibullah Zazi, the 24-year-old
Afghan immigrant who prosecutors accused this week of training with Al
Qaeda in Pakistan and conspiring to launch a bombing attack in America
using beauty supplies. According to the Times, Zazi was raised in
Queens, where he was known growing up for his love of Islam and
basketball. He struggled in high school and dropped out to help his
father make money, eventually working as a vendor cart operator in Lower
Manhattan. "He was a dumb kid, believe me," one older relative told the
Times. "He was well-spoken," one customer told the Times. "He always
said good morning to everyone. He used to memorize what everyone needed
in the morning."
Read it at The New York Times:
http://e.thedailybeast.com/a/tBKviDfB7SwhTB7vAaE-LeccGff/dail1