Just visiting Harvard-not
Michael Ignatieff is apparently headed back to old stomping grounds at Harvard University this week, according to this notice from the Carr School. (h/t David Akin.) The Liberal leader will be there on Wednesday evening this week, part of a panel discussing "Why Human Rights Matter Now More Than Ever."
**** Update: Jill Fairbrother, Ignatieff's spokesperson, says the Liberal leader is most assuredly NOT heading to Harvard this week; he has things to do here. Unclear why that's on the Carr Centre's website.
Funny how Jill Fairbrother fails to mention that Bob Rae was going to fill in for Ignatieff at the Economic Edge Summit on Canadian business and the world,while he went to Harvard.
These two events were on the same day.
I guess the Liberals decided at last minute that Ignatieff should make an effort to appear at the Toronto Economic Summit instead of Rae after all, since Ignatieff is supposed to be concerned about Canadian Economy.
Harvard and old friends will have to wait for another day.
Posted by: geo | October 19, 2009 at 06:23 PM
Sure the Carr Institute just invented their agenda and happened to ad Iffy to the program. Anybody who believes that is naive in the extreme. I suspect Iffy thought he could go back without being noticed.
Of course the Libs are now backtracking because it will reinforce the Conservative message that he is "just visitng". Polls for the Libs are bad enough they don't need to add fuel to the fire.
We all know where his heart is and it is not in Canada.
Posted by: hollinm | October 19, 2009 at 07:12 PM
First he loves China, can't wait to get there, then oops!he might get his election where he's sure he'll be crowned king of Canada. Then he obviously (they wouldn't have printed it otherwise) commits to being on this panel, then oops! bad optics so he backs out on that also.
~Asbestos if necessary, but not necessarily asbestos.
~Coalition if necessary, but not necessarily a coalition.
~Tar sands if necessary, but not necessarily tar sands.
~Taxes if necessary, but not necessarily taxes.
~Canada if necessary, but not necessarily Canada.
~Harvard if necessary, but not necessarily Harvard.
This guy sure can't commit to anything, least of all Canada.
Posted by: Leasa | October 19, 2009 at 07:21 PM
BREAKING NEWS - Michael "Iggy-Iffy-Barney Fife" Ignatieff wil not be visiting the "Barney Fife School of Pain" ( Harvard ) ... apparently current rehersals for that visit are not going as well as planned - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBuPQgV8yBM
Posted by: Frank Docherty | October 19, 2009 at 08:04 PM
Does this mean that Bob Rae will be attending the human rights group hug at Harvard instead?
Posted by: herringchoker | October 19, 2009 at 08:43 PM
Did Ms Fairbrother forget to let the Carr Center know!!!!!!!! http://www.hks.harvard.edu/cchrp/events/2009/month10/Anniv_21.php
Posted by: Sir John A | October 19, 2009 at 09:29 PM
Am I only one who doesn't understand what would be wrong with him going to Harvard if he were going to Harvard?
I remember a joke from the early 90s about an American and a Canadian fisherman. The Canadian didn't bother putting a lid on his bucket of fish. Why? Because they were Canadian fish; every time one tried to get out of the barrel, the others would pull it back down.
Are we really reverting to those days of inward, selfish jealousy?
Posted by: Jason Cherniak | October 20, 2009 at 07:43 AM
Most Canadians, according to the polls, could care less
what iggy does but you cant help but marvel at the . ineptitude of booking speaking engagements in two places at the same time. This guy cant keep a daytimer straight.
Posted by: John | October 20, 2009 at 12:07 PM
Jason:
As usual you miss the train by a day!...of course there's nothing wrong with Ignatieff going to a Harvard conference.
The fact that he has set himself up as an elitist political cross-dresser with his all to transparent musings is what has hung this upon him.
You don't stand in the airport security line and muse out loudly that you might highjack the plane if they don't hurry up...likewise you don't expound to the electorate that if they don't like your brand then 'to heck with them; I'll just go back to Harvard.'
Its the impatient act of a pouting juvenile.
Where I come from, we let whiners know our distain.
Hopefully that clears it up for you Jason!
Posted by: simon | October 20, 2009 at 12:20 PM
Gee whats next, the obligitory photo of the leader at a daycare centre? Recruitment drive for a thinkers thoughtfest. Its a distance from Harvard but its a start.
Posted by: Susan | October 20, 2009 at 12:43 PM
MORE BREAKING NEWS - Those waskilly wabbits, suspected alledged BLOC/NDP/LIBERAL Coalition unindighted co-conspirators caught on cell phone video masterminding the early stages of the coalition efforts - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n3LL338aGA - Had they used the fake beard on Dion as their new leader, they just might have gotten away with it !
Posted by: Frank Docherty | October 21, 2009 at 05:53 PM