Ignatieff's road trip, part 2

They turned away folks at the door for the afternoon event at Dalhousie University today, and as with the morning, the questions from students were interesting, well-spoken.  Both questions and answers were more partisan than they were in the morning, with Ignatieff tending to turn questions about the environment and the economy into critiques of Conservative policy.

The former professor does seem to be enjoying the time with students, even correcting one who asked about "proroguement" -- "it's prorogation," he said. Some of the old lecture habits are evident too in his fondness for nuancing answers and positions.  He doesn't like the current prorogation, for instance, but he doesn't rule out using the power itself, in a proper way. He isn't crazy about an unelected Senate, and believes in Senate reform, but then again, he says there may be a good reason to appoint senators.

And then of course, there is the requisite campus staple -- beer. At the end of his talk at Dalhousie, Ignatieff was presented with a case of Keith's. No word on when he intended to drink it.  The photo here was taken by Michael Bayer, and passed on to Ignatieff's folks, and then to me.

Comments

[Brian]

I don't mind Ignatieff being nuanced. On the contrary, I like it - shows he's not a partisan robot who's talking things through instead of telling people he thinks people want to hear. Ignatieff hates this prorogation but sees the need to do it under better circumstances? Well, right - the problem isn't the prorogation, which is routine - it's why and when it's being done.

Ignatieff wants Senate reform but believes he might need to appoint as well? I can see that - and apparently Harper sees that as well. The difference is that Harper lied about his intentions, rather than being honest about the potential need to compromise in advance of being in government.

Last time I checked, our constitution & system of government IS nuanced. And I think the biggest problem with Harper from my own conservative point of view is that he's chosen to respond to criticism by dumbing things down to appeal to his base instead of speaking up to appeal to reason.

[Fupet]

God help this country if it starts operating on policies formed by students.
Ignatieff needs to do better than this, how about a concrete platform?

[geo]

"He doesn't like the current prorogation, for instance, but he doesn't rule out using the power itself, in a proper way.

He isn't crazy about an unelected Senate, and believes in Senate reform, but then again, he says there may be a good reason to appoint senators."
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Nancy Astor-( British politician1879 - 1964) who once said:

The main dangers in this life are the people who want to change everything - or nothing.

Sounds just like our man Mr.Ignatieff

[margaret]

You didn't mention that getting a case of Keith's is a bit of an honour. Layton only got a 6-pack. Chretien got a case.

[Patrick]

where does it say anything about Iggy planning to operate the country based on policies by students?

I supposed when you have nothing else to criticize you make it up?

[Darwin O'Connor]

Your description doesn't make him sound nuanced. It makes him sound like he is giving a typical political wishy-washy non answer so he can sound like his is going to do the right thing, but will end up doing the wrong thing anyway.

[MyThought]

Okay, so now it's attack the students. Good grief. Petty.

These kids are "educated" and probably understand things more that the people attacking them.

They want a voice and being of voting age have a right to a voice.

[Observant]

Liberals must energize the student vote ... but reality is that students are turning conservative in times of economic uncertainty ... just like their parents.

[Peter]

Ignatieff is as decisive as ever - how could anybody but Liberal students be impressed with this malarky

"He doesn't like the current prorogation, for instance, but he doesn't rule out using the power itself, in a proper way. He isn't crazy about an unelected Senate, and believes in Senate reform, but then again, he says there may be a good reason to appoint senators."

And he wants to pass himself of as a leader - what direction is he going in? - what a joke.