In an effort to try and capitalize on a series of Tory gaffes Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff launched the Liberal Express this summer.
And there was a brief blip in the polls in mid-summer when the Liberals could claim a lead (within the margin of error).
Also, the Tories did manage to blow an 11-point lead in less than a week over the census non-issue that they turned into a disaster. So there is always a chance that come election time (likely not till the spring) that the Liberals could, if they get lucky, head to the polls just as the latest Tory stumble over their own feet unfolds.
If that was the case what sort of leader would Ignatieff be? We’ve heard the Tory attack ads but I was curious what the Harvard scholar, journalist, best selling novelist and Obama bff would be like up close and personal.
So it was with great anticipation of some significant face time with the Liberal leader that I boarded the Liberal Express bus for our trip down the Sea to Sky Corridor.
Unfortunately Iganatieff was only granting interviews to Postmedia (formally Canwest) and I had to spend the hour talking with Ken Dryden (yes not a bad consolation prize.) Just the same it would have been nice to get the promised interview. Of course those who know me, know I rarely, if ever let reality get in the way.
I therefore present the interview as I imagine how it would have gone if I had in fact interviewed Michael Ignatieff (as promised).
Me: You have been talking a lot about Tory tax cuts to big corporations, tax cuts that the middle class are largely bearing on their backs, so what would you do for the middle class if the Liberals form government?
Ignatieff: We will end the era of corporate welfare?
Me: So direct subsidies and selective tax breaks to large corporations will end?
Ignatieff: Not so much that. But we will preserve Canadian Corporate Champions that we all can be proud of.
Me: So basically more of the same?
Ignatieff: Not at all it will be a Liberal government taking your money to give to big corporations, which means we’ll do it in a kinder more compassionate way – the Canadian way - not the dog eat dog American way that Stephen Harper emulates.
Me: But the federal government gave $74 million to large media companies in Canada last year how does that improve the country?
Ignatieff: Oh well I can’t speak to every nickel and dime that’s being spent here and there. But if you have a problem with those companies take it up with them.
Me: But those are Canadian tax dollars, shouldn’t you be holding the Tories to account for wasteful spending?
Ignatieff: Did you know the Tories smeared a career public servant? And hey, how about that census mess?
Me: That hardly answers the question.
Ignatieff: Okay sure a company like Glacier Media that made $30 million in profit last year received a few million dollars from the federal government. But you know what? If we didn’t give them that money next year they might only make $25 million and then we wouldn’t have a proud Canadian Corporate Champion.
Me: I’d rather you didn’t give them the money. Couldn’t it have gone to arts groups? A fraction of that funding would have supported dozens of groups across the country. I thought you were in favour of that sort of spending?
Ignatieff: Okay here’s the deal, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I might talk a lot about the $17 billion the Tories are planning to spend on jet fighters but let’s face it if there’s a Democrat in the White House and he (or she) wants a big defense contract from Canada, well we’re going to give it to them.
Me: And arts groups?
Ignatieff: The thing about arts groups in Canada is…well it’s not London let me tell you. I mean that’s theatre, and then there’s the Tate Modern, plus there’s all of those great BBC programs. Did you know I used to work for the BBC, yes I was quite the celebrity back in London town in those days let me tell you. Why I remember the time Martin Amis and I were in Bloomsbury and…
Me: So you’re saying Canadian arts groups are undeserving of support because they don’t measure up to their better-funded colleagues in England and America? Isn’t that why so many talented Canadians end up in the U.S or the U.K?
Ignatieff: Hey I went to the U.K and the U.S and it did wonders for my career. Back when I was writing for the New York Times they used to call me a latter day Hildy Johnson and…
Me: So now that you want to lead Canada what are you going to do for Canadians? That is besides give our money to Canadian Corporate Champions just like the present government is doing?
Ignatieff: A thousand points of light.
Me: Excuse me?
Ignatieff: Sorry someone used that one already. Uh…oh yeah The Big Red Tent that’s what we offer, come into The Big Red Tent, there will be milk and cookies.
Me: That’s your policy, come into the big red tent?
Ignatieff: Don’t knock it, I’ve said that at 102 stops so far and it’s always a crowd pleaser.
Me: But what does that even mean?
Ignatieff: We’ve got something for everyone, the left, the right, the Greens, the keen on Jesus crowd, the law and order crowd, the progressives (yeah I know we’re still trying to figure that one out, but really if you just say, ‘progressive, it seems to cover it.)
Me: How can you possibly appease all those disparate groups?
Ignatieff: It’s a big tent. Oh, and it’s got a strong foundation.
Me: Still means nothing.
Ignatieff: Perhaps but we've discovered 90% of Canadians only care about how much money they'll keep after taxes and if their savings are secure, so that doesn't give us a lot of wedge issues.
Me: So you're going to campaign as Tory Lite, or possibly NDP Lite in Toronto?
Ignatieff: That's about the size of it.
Me: It is, you know, kind of cynical.
Iganatieff: It's that sort of world. It's a tough world, it's a rough and tumble world. Back when I was reporting from Afghanistan I saw how brutal it could be and that stays with you, let me tell you. Back then I was known as Kabul Iggy. I remember how all of us hardened war correspondents would gather around 6 pm for cocktails of bath tub gin and soviet vodka. A lot of times the others would change the location and forget to tell me but I always found them. They were always so happy to see me they could barely speak. Then we would share stories about our various experiences in country, that's how we would refer to it, in country. I told a lot of those stories because I've just got a knack for observation (I've written 17 bestsellers you know). At any rate they would listen attentively while I gave them my perspective on the war. Like this one time...
