Ignatieff demonstrates common sense

Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff is quickly establishing himself as real leader – and prime-ministerial – material. On stimulating the economy, he had this to say:

Federal Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff says that if he became prime minister, his priorities for the first 100 days would be tax cuts, fast stimulus spending and reforms to speed up access to employment insurance.

This would put him in line with recent recommendations made by Canada's top economists and indicates that he may be more inclined to listen to reason and common sense on economic and fiscal matters than Stephen Harper.

He has also castigated Hamas:

"Canada has to support the right of a democratic country to defend itself," he said in his first comments on the situation.

"Hamas is a terrorist organization, and Canada can't touch Hamas with a 10-foot pole. Hamas is to blame for organizing and instigating those rocket attacks and then for sheltering among civilian populations."

This is quite in stark contrast to his predecessor, Stéphane Dion, who was toying with the idea of removing Hamas from the government's list of terrorist groups and organizations. But Dion is a Marxist, not a Liberal, or liberal, while Ignatieff seems on track to restoring his party's credentials as a small-l liberal party – something that has been long overdue.

Comments

[Bruce Stewart]

Aside from a woefully unnecessary stimulus package & its accompanying deficit (I did not see how he would pay for the cuts, much less throwing money out there) it is sensible stuff.

For "real realism", though, I'd like to see what "businesses of government" he is planning to exit to pay for this. Show me that and I might be persuaded to vote Liberal federally for the first time in my life.

[Werner Patels]

If Iggy follows yesterday's advice from the leading economists in the country, he'll do fine (as would Harper, but somehow I doubt that he'll take their advice).

But Iggy's already one point ahead. Unlike Harper, he has already stated in no uncertain terms that he'd go with the tax-cut idea if he became PM.