It appears that Michael Ignatieff is doing what Liberals do best. Threatening to bring down the government if they don’t get their way. Usually, this bravado is backed up with all the power and force of a yelping chihuahua. Rather annoying and not meaning much. This isn’t too harsh a description. Two years of Stephane Dion’s less than stellar turn at the Liberal leadership left many Canadians with that impression.

No. No. Mister Harper. Back our initiatives or we will bring down this government
(re: green shift – carbon tax). Then, nothing.

No. No. Mister Harper. We cannot support this government. (re: extension of Canadian troops in Afghanistan past February 2009) Then, nothing.

And again. No. No. Mister Harper… that just won’t do. (re: Conservative budget – Feb 2008) And again… nothing.

In those two years, the Liberals stood up and threatened. And then sat down and threatened so many times…. the threats became meaningless. Doing more damage to the image of the Liberal party than Mr. Harper or Mr. Layton or Mr. Duceppe ever could.

Now, It’s time to turn this ship around. A good day after Mr. Ignatieff was crowned king of Liberals, he dropped the pretense of non-partisan cooperation with the Conservatives. And hinted that if Harper didn’t improve Employment Insurance, he would withdraw his support for this minority parliament. For those keeping tabs, there is no national standard for the amount of hours a Canadian needs to work to qualify for EI. Right now, if you live in downtown Toronto, you need 595 hours to get Employment Insurance. In St. John’s, it is 630. And in Victoria, it’s 665. Ignatieff wants a national standard as well as other improvements. Harper doesn’t.

Well, hello spring election. Or at least, let’s hope.

Threats only work when you follow through. And Mr. Ignatieff….Please. Please for the love of God … follow through. Call this government out… and pull the plug now. Not only for the Liberal party … but also for the rest of us Canadians.

As the planet, does the political two-step away from the right wing to the left…. or at least to a more centrist waltz….Canadians are still saddled with one of the most conservative governments in the G-8. Slow to act. Slower to react.

And slowest to pro-act. In times of financial and political upheaval, what do Canadians get? Feet dragging on improved EI legislation. Time wasting on needed stimulus programs. And stunning indifference to private industry’s attacks on pension programs and severance packages.

Let’s get rid of this government and start things fresh. Run Iggy Run. Pull the Plug. I and the rest of Canada dare you. For our own sakes.

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Tags: Liberal Party, michael ignatieff, stephen harper

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