Posts Tagged ‘Michael Ignatieff’
Election night speeches: victory and defeat
Harper wins Conservative majority
Jack Layton: Leader of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition
Elizabeth May wins the Green Party’s first seat in Parliament
Duceppe quits as Bloc Québécois collapses
Ignatieff leads Liberals to historic defeat
Liberals could still govern if Harper wins minority: Ignatieff
Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff says he would try to form a government if the Conservatives win the most seats in the election but fails to win the confidence of the House of Commons.
If the Governor General wants to call on other parties, or myself, for example, to try and form a government, then we try to form a government.
- Micheal Ignatieff
Federal election begins amid coalition promises, accusations and denials
Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper kicked-off the 2011 Federal Election campaign by accusing the opposition parties of having a hidden agenda to form a coalition government in the event of another Conservative minority parliament.
Unless Canadians elect a stable national government, Mr. Ignatieff will form a coalition with the NDP and the Bloc Québécois.
- Stephen Harper
Harper warns of hidden coalition agenda, Ignatieff denies it, Duceppe is willing,
and Layton would be Prime Minister of a minority government
After several days dodging the question, Liberal leader Micheal Ignatieff issued an early morning statement in which he rules out a coalition in the event of a Liberal minority parliament:
We will not enter a coalition with other federalist parties. In our system, coalitions are a legitimate constitutional option. However, I believe that issue-by-issue collaboration with other parties is the best way for minority Parliaments to function.
- Micheal Ignatieff
However, Ignateiff’s statement does not rule out a coalition if the Conservatives win the most number of seats, but not a majority.
Meanwhile, NDP leader Jack Layton is actively running to become Prime Minister of a minority government, especially if the election produces another Conservative minority parliament:
This time we have to do something different. This time, it’s not enough to keep Stephen Harper from his majority, this time we have to replace him …
I’m asking for a mandate to lead the next government. And if that turns out to be a minority parliament, as Prime Minister you can count on me to reach out to all members of Parliament who believe in building a better Canada.
And together we will provide an alternative to a Harper-led government — whether its on a case-by-case basis as has been done in the last five years, or more stable arrangements — I will work with the mandate you give me.
- Jack Layton
A coalition government could have the support of the Bloc Québécois, according to Gilles Duceppe who remains open to the option.
If they propose something like that, we look if it is in the best interests of Quebec.
- Gilles Duceppe
Links:
- Statement by Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff (March 27, 2011)
Ignatieff refuses to rule out Liberal-NDP-Bloc coalition
March 23 and 24, 2011 - Micheal Ignatieff dodges questions from journalists and refuses to rule out a Liberal-NDP-Bloc coalition should the election result in another Conservative minority parliament.
“There’s a blue door … and there’s a red door.”
“I can’t be clearer than that.”
Harper and Ignatieff denounce ‘the new antisemitism’
Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff delivered similar messages denouncing ”the new antisemitism” in speeches at the second annual Inter-Parliamentary Coalition for Combating Antisemitism.
Demonization, double-standards, delegitimisation: the three “D”‘s. It is a responsibility of us all to stand up to them … and as long as I am Prime Minister … Canada will take that stand, whatever the cost.
- Stephen Harper
Not every criticizm of the government of Israel is antisemetic. But there is a form of criticizm of the state of Israel which passes into active delegitimization of a recognized democratic state.
I refer of course, in my own country, to Israeli Apartheid Week. Israel is Israel; Apartaid in South Africa was a crime against humanity. To conflate the two is to deligimize a democratic state and Canadians must stand against it.
- Michael Ignatieff
Does Canada deserve a seat on the UN Security Council?
September 20 to 24, 2010 - Liberal leader Micheal Ignatieff and NDP leader Jack Layton comment on Canada’s bid for a temporary seat on the UN Security Council, while Prime Minister Harper makes his pitch at the United Nations.
Ignatieff would cancel tax cuts to pay for new spending priorities
Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff would cancel planned corporate tax cuts and take longer to eliminate the deficit in order to pay for new spending priorities identified at the Liberal thinkers’ conference in Montreal.
Ignatieff announced that a Liberal government would freeze the corporate tax rate at 18%, indefinitely deferring the Harper government’s plan to cut the tax to 15% by 2012.
We’re not the NDP here. We believe passionately in competitive corporate tax rates. We’re telling you though, we can’t afford them now. There’s just too much we have to do to get our fiscal house in order and make the investments that will make us a productive society.
- Michael Ignatieff
Ignatieff also pledged that a Liberal government would reduce the deficit to 1% of GDP within two years of taking office, somewhat slower than the Harper government’s plan which projects the deficit will fall below 1% of GDP in fiscal year 2012-13.
Ignatieff says these measures are needed to pay for the new spending priorities identified at the conference, which include national strategies for:
- Education and training, including a focus on illiteracy, language training for new Canadians, early learning and child care;
- Health care, including a focus on preventative health, home care for seniors, and increasing the compassionate care EI benefit from the current 16 weeks, and;
- Clean technology and renewable energy.
Related videos:
- Video: Ignatieff defends taxes and activist government (September 21, 2009)
Ignatieff re-opens abortion debate, jeopardizes leadership
January 28 to March 25, 2010 - Liberal Party leader Micheal Ignatieff has re-opened the abortion debate in Canada, following Stephen Harper’s pledge to make maternal and child health a priority for the G8.
