Cannon to the left of them, cannon to the right of them.
And right smack in the middle, with not a whole lot of support beyond his own loyalists–which, at last check, were dropping like flies after a non-confidence motion that came before he even read the latest economic report card–is Michael Ignatieff. The conservatives have been pounding him from the right since January, and everyone could tell it was getting to him. And now, with the recent switcheroo pulled off by Jack Layton and the New Democratic Party, it puts them in a position to pound the liberals and Ignatieff from the left. A position they, with very little hesitation whatsoever, are taking full advantage of.
The press release from the NDP office hits on areas that have been weaknesses for Ignatieff since day one. In particular, his flip-flopping on just about everything, his tough talk when it comes to the governing conservatives, and the fact he generally seems as though he genuinely has no idea what he actually wants to accomplish. He dangled the threat of an election over Stephen Harper’s head in June on employment insurance. And, when the deal was struck to have each party send 3 into negotiations to work out a plan for EI reform, there was some faint hope for this newly minted intelectual turned liberal leader. Then August came. And went. And through it all, he never budged from his original demand.
september showed up, Ignatieff had absolutely nothing to show for it, and it was all the government’s fault. He went no confidence right from the start, forcing the NDP and Blocke Quebecois to quickly back the conservatives on employment insurance reforms–the same reforms that were rejected by all three parties just a few months ago–in order to prevent an election none of the three would benefit from. He made his intentions known even before parliament got down to business, which was way before Harper’s economic statement–something the NDP was criticised for back in January by both reporters and readers alike. The same liberal party also voted no to a ways and means motion only 3 days before Harper’s economic statement.
The flop reappeared again not very long after that, though. When the motion passed, Ignatieff went on the record saying his party will work to fast track the temporary measures in the bill. “We don’t want to give the NDP an alibi to continue to support Harper’s government,” was his excuse.
Sadly, all the twisting and turning he’s doing on just about everything isn’t making it any easier for him to avoid what’s coming his way, thanks largely to the newly begun attack from the NDP. If Ignatieff decides an election would be a bad idea after all, it wouldn’t be entirely all too surprising. Both because he’d probably not come out of it with more than he has now, and because he’ll probably flip flop on that in a couple months as well. This National Post article has a partial list of the various flip flops he made during the last session of parliament. And I’m sure there’ll be plenty more to come.
