Kudos to Michael Ignatieff for recognizing that the key to success in Canada is to appeal to book lovers with “True Patriot Love.” It doesn’t matter if the book is good, bad or indifferent. The fact remains that if you are an author you will receive glowing admiration from Canadians. It gets even better if you are a Harvard scholar and a quick learner of current Canadian culture and its’ gracious, government-subsidized underpinnings. I’m just curious to know whether or not his book/media/political tour is ultimately being funded by the Canada Council for the Arts via his publisher?

But he’s no Prime Minister for the times in my view.

He’s more like a nice brown Penny Loafer. Comfy, casual and oh so Canadian-like. Just makes you want to slip into his kinder, gentler kind of leather. No hard, abrasive edges based on economic reality for this dude. He is sweetness and light reflected on his bushy brow. Who better to re-assume the Liberal’s natural ruling status in the country? With just enough socialist mumbo jumbo thrown in to attract the wobbling left wing vote in Ontario and Quebec. Forget about Western Canada.

A very clever short-term strategy indeed – supposedly fueled by a legion of youthful Liberals anxious to ascend the steps of power. Unfortunately we’ve seen this slide show before – during the Paul Martin days. Where Paul could often be seen accompanied by a dog-loyal group of young 24/7 worker bees. And look where that got him.

Clearly, I’m not the first blogger or journalist to try to rain on the Iggy parade. Editorials appear almost daily asking the question “When will he actually say something?” Even “The Foth” has stepped back into the editorial tarring and feathering of this so-far-naked bird. His ire raised with the announcement of Iggy’s upcoming biography (say what?) to be penned by none other than Peter C. Newman – Brian Mulroney’s former penman pal.

As to policy announcements, I know that I’m particularly excited about a high-speed rail line between Quebec City and Windsor. How typically Canadian. Build a railway where the parties at either end have absolutely no interest in traveling to see the other. But think about all the people in the middle who will be happy! Or how about a national unemployment insurance model for Canadian economic development. Where suffering Central Canadian workers can now try to be like lobster fishermen in good times – making a boatload of cash in thirteen weeks so they can be eligible for the Pogue for the rest.

I’m sure Iggy is a really nice guy. Even nicer than Stephane Dion and his dog Kyoto. But so far he’s been given a pretty slack rope. And I’ll bet that he’s soon going to demonstrate an uncanny ability to hang oneself – particularly if he forces an election too early.

When the rubber meets the road and fuzzy fiction becomes hard-ass, economic reality for soccer moms, Stephen Harper, the Conservative marketing machine and the media are going to tear him apart – starting with his undeniable coalition signing and ending with the shaky author’s pulpit he continues to solicit free press from. And let it be said that Rick Mercer was probably the first to cast a ranting stone about this lack of policy substance several months back.

At the end of the day, I’ll stick to my prediction of another Conservative minority in a spring 2010 election, albeit with a strengthened Liberal opposition of book lovers, Ontario NDP’ers and Quebec Bar-BQ’s.

Which will then bring us to leadership conventions across all parties to try to elect the first majority female Prime Minister of Canada. It would be nice if she were under the age of 40. Not related in any way, shape or form to Jack Layton. And without servants.

Then we might finally start to get somewhere in this fractured fairy tale of a country we love.

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Tags: iggy, michael ignatieff, prime minister

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