Ignatieff: Harper worse than Palin on climate change

In a great speech full of vision and economic policy, I can't help but focus in on one of the best one-liners I've heard in quite a while:

"We're investing less in renewables than the state of Alaska. So when it comes to clean energy, Stephen Harper's not just behind Barack Obama, he's behind Sarah Palin."

{Video by Liberal Video}

Full speech is here, but I'll give you this additional poignant excerpt as well, but read the whole speech for both the sharper attacks on Harper's use of stimulus to fund Conservative ridings, and his general fiscal mismanagement, but also about what a Liberal government under Michael Ignatieff would look like. The election that comes, and it will come, will be about choices and whether Canadians think more of the same is good enough or whether Canadians think we can do better.

"Back in July, after the G8 Summit in Italy, Mr. Harper gave an interview to The Globe and Mail, in which he said, and I quote:

“I don’t believe that any taxes are good taxes.”

Think about that for a moment.

“Je ne crois pas qu’aucune taxe soit bonne,” a dit Stephen Harper.

C’est une déclaration renversante pour un premier ministre.

It’s an astonishing statement for a prime minister to make.

We pay taxes, Mr. Harper, so that premature infants get nursing care when they’re born; so that policemen will be there to keep our streets safe; so that we have teachers to give our kids a good education.

We pay taxes, Mr. Harper, because we’re all in this together.

It costs us something, but it makes Canada the place it is: a place where we look out for each other.

But Stephen Harper doesn’t think that way.

Stephen Harper thinks no taxes are good taxes because he believes that the only good government is no government at all.

Liberals say no.

We don’t believe in big government, but we do believe in good government. If we give up on good government the way Mr. Harper has, then we will cease to exist as one great people sharing one great country—and Liberals will never let that happen.

That’s the difference between us and them.

That’s the difference between Stephen Harper and me.

His is an ideology of the past. An ideology that’s contemptuous of anyone who sees government as a means to do good.

It’s an ideology that vaporized the day Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy a year ago.

When Wall Street crashed, even the most ardent free marketeers turned to government to save the free market.

The last year has proved government’s value, as the guarantor of risk of last resort in the capitalist system.

The last year blew Stephen Harper’s ideology out of the water.

Liberals believe in good government. Canadians believe in good government.

You can’t get growth without good government."

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Liberal Ad: "Green Jobs"

Latest round of Liberal ads, this one about helping create the "green jobs of tomorrow today".



And once again, a nice contrast of a positive ad identifying what Liberal priorities will be versus Harper's ads of personal character assassination that even outright lie.

Is it any wonder to anyone that the Conservatives are afraid to tell us about their record or even to put Harper in any of their own ads?

{Video by LiberalVideo}

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Ignatieff on becoming world leaders again

Michael Ignatieff is bringing out more and more policy positions, laying the groundwork for a platform that will come during an election.

At a speech yesterday, we see the strong internationalism and liberalism and proud patriotism of a Canadian Liberal, aspiring to be leaders instead of concentrating on expensive photo opportunities, unapologetically lauding Canadian internationalism and Canadians servicing abroad rather than belittling Canadians abroad or cutting veteran funding at home.

There will be an election in 2009. Relying on the support of the NDP and the Bloc despite assurances to the contrary, Harper may avoided one in October. But there will be an election and it will be about choices.

Here, Ignatieff lays out the choice we will have on Canadian internationalism.


{Video by Liberal Video}

As Ignatieff said yesterday, we once were world leaders, embracing internationalism, helping the poor and starving, sending our soldiers where they needed to be to protect the world's most vulnerable, the world's leading diplomats. We still have much of the talent out there in the world. We still have many of the leading diplomats and bravest soldiers. But we cannot be world leaders without government support and leadership at home. It's time for leadership at home so we can re-find our leadership abroad.

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Liberal Ad: "Jobs/Emplois"

From the second round of Liberal ads this past weekend, here is the Liberal ad "Jobs".
{Video by Liberal Video}

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Liberal Ad: "Vision du monde"

From the second round of Liberal ads this past weekend, here is the French version of "Worldview" called "Vision du monde".

{Video by Liberal Video}

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Liberal Ad: "Bilan environnement"

Here is one of the French Liberal ads: "Bilan environnement".

{Video by Liberal Video}

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Liberal Ad: "Bilan deficit"

Here is one of the two French Liberal ads: "Bilan deficit".

{Video by Liberal Video}

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Liberal Ad: "Worldview"

Here is the first English ad from Michael Ignatieff, "Worldview".

{Video by Liberal Video}

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Ignatieff press conference: he's ready, Harper's time is up

I have seen Ignatieff give a lot of press conferences before. I honestly don't think I've seen him sharper, more focused, and tougher on the message.

This to me sounds like a man who is fully geared up for battle, with a very sharp sword in his scabbard.


{Video by JJedras}

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Liberal Minute - 2009 Federal Election Message

A short summary of why the Liberals can no longer support the Harper Conservatives from Liberal Minuteman Justin Lamarche.
{Video by LiberalMinute}

And no, I don't know what's going on with this guy's arms during the video.

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Caucus Speech / Discours au caucus estival

Yesterday, Michael Ignatieff put the Conservatives on notice that they have failed their probation and their time is now up. An excerpt of his speech to caucus is below.

Some choice excerpts:

“We’re working against a government that’s ready to sacrifice national unity to stay in power. But we have a secret weapon on our side: Stephen Harper’s record. The worst unemployment record in two decades The worst deficit in our history. And last quarter, the worst performing economy in the G7.”

“We can do better. Nous pouvons faire mieux.”

“Stephen Harper hasn’t just failed to stand up for Canada—he’s also failed to stand up for Canadians. Suaad Mohamud. Omar Khadr. Makhtal. Bahari. Mohamed. Abdelrazik. Being a Canadian must mean the Canadian government will stand up for you—no matter where, no matter when. This is at the heart of what every Liberal believes: a Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian. A Liberal government would stand by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We would stand by our citizens. And we would bring forward legislation to protect Canadians abroad—to make it illegal for the government to pick and choose which citizens it protects—to make sure these abuses never happen again.”

“In fact, only two hundred of the twelve hundred infrastructure projects that the Conservatives announced in Ontario have actually received the funding they were promised. Only Stephen Harper could count that as 80% underway.”

“Stephen Harper’s response has been: “Don’t worry, give it a few years, and the books will balance themselves.” You can put that next to his promise not to run deficits in the first place. Or his promise not to tax income trusts. Or his promise not to appoint Senators.”

“You can’t count on a government that can’t count—and a prime minister who’s only good at division.”

“Liberals proudly support public health care in this country—and, unlike the Conservatives, we’re not afraid to defend it.”

“In June, we set out four tests for Stephen Harper. Mr. Harper, you have failed all four. You’ve failed to protect the most vulnerable. You’ve failed to create jobs. Failed to defend our health care. Failed to restore our public finances.”

“After four years of drift, four years of denial, four years of division and discord—Mr. Harper, your time is up. Vous avez raté votre chance. The Liberal Party cannot support this government any further. We will hold it to account. We will oppose it in Parliament. Canadians deserve better.”

“So let’s get started. Allons-y. Notre pays nous attend.”

{Video by Ignatieff}

Full text of his speech is here.

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Ignatieff on Pharmacare

Thank you to Bob Speller for uploading all of these great clips from the summer BBQ tour with grassroots Liberals that the media and the Conservatives would like to believe has not been happening.

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Ignatieff on Medical Isotope Crisis

Thank you to Bob Speller for uploading all of these great clips from the summer BBQ tour with grassroots Liberals that the media and the Conservatives would like to believe has not been happening.

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Ignatieff on Afghanistan

Thank you to Bob Speller for uploading all of these great clips from the summer BBQ tour with grassroots Liberals that the media and the Conservatives would like to believe has not been happening.

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Ignatieff on Conservative Attack Ads

A classy and politically astute take on the Conservatives' attack on Ignatieff's patriotism and Canadians who work abroad.



Thank you to Bob Speller for uploading all of these great clips from the summer BBQ tour with grassroots Liberals that the media and the Conservatives would like to believe has not been happening.

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Ignatieff on Agriculture

Thank you to Bob Speller for uploading all of these great clips from the summer BBQ tour with grassroots Liberals that the media and the Conservatives would like to believe has not been happening.

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Ignatieff on Arctic Sovereignty

Some politicians get it. And some don't even know how to spell it.

Here is Michael Ignatieff speaking on Canadian Arctic sovereignty this summer.



Thank you to Bob Speller for uploading all of these great clips from the summer BBQ tour with grassroots Liberals that the media and the Conservatives would like to believe has not been happening.

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Michael Ignatieff at Calgary Stampede, Part 2

Part of Michael Ignatieff's speech at the Calgary Zoo on July 4, 2009. Ignatieff speaks about education, health care, the new economy and broadening our competitiveness and efficient users of energy.

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Michael Ignatieff at the Calgary Stampede, Part 1

Part of Michael Ignatieff's speech at the Calgary Zoo on July 4, 2009. Ignatieff talks about the diversity of Canada, its strengths, and the Tory ads attacking Canadians who work abroad. The shapings of a really good stump speech.

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Michael Ignatieff in Calgary (April 6, 2009)

Michael Ignatieff speaking about what the Liberals plans for rural Canada (food strategy, better infrastructure, better access to healthcare, better access to post-secondary education) vs what the Conservatives offer (gun registry opposition), the importance of the West/Alberta to the nation, unemployment in the West, etc.

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