The Harper Conservatives' were successful when they used attack ads to turn voters away from former federal Liberal leader Stephane Dion.
But Saturday night, Dion's successor Michael Ignatieff, told the provincial Liberal party's convention in Gander it won't work this time.
"They will not do this to me," he said to a standing ovation.
In the last week or so, the conservatives started buying airtime, accusing Ignatieff of "just visiting" Canada as he has had a distinguished career in the United Kingdom and United States as a scholar and a journalist.
Ignatieff said if people think he's just a "nice, old herbivorian professor (who) wouldn't harm a fly," they may be surprised.
"Mr. Harper has got to learn that if you mess with me, I will mess with you until I'm done."
But Ignatieff said his plan of attack would be different than Harper's.
"I will not attack Mr. Harper's patriotism, I will not attack his character, I will not attack his family," said Ignatieff. "I will attack his record and God knows there's enough to work on."
Before Ignatieff even took the stage, Humber-St. Barbe-Baie Verte MP Gerry Byrne told the crowd in his introduction the ads try to paint Ignatieff in a negative light, but the message he sees in them is that Ignatieff has brought his Canadian perspective to the world's stage which makes him the perfect candidate to lead the country internationally as well as domestically.
Ignatieff began his speech by talking about rebuilding both the provincial and federal parties and the need to bring people to the party, especially young people with new ideas.
"I've only been in this job three weeks and I'm already talking about succession and people think 'he must be crazy' but there is method in my madness," he said.
Ignatieff said for the party to be relevant in the future it has to nurture the next generation of leaders today.
The Liberal leader also talked about employment insurance reform.
He said half the people who've lost their jobs in the country in the last year don't qualify for the program which they've paid into.
He said the newly unemployed want Ottawa to act.
"What have they got. They've not got answers they've got ... attack ads," said Ignatieff.
He said Harper isn't only attacking him in those ads but all Canadians who've worked, or are working outside the country and every Canadian who was born in a foreign land and chose Canada afterwards.
"It's not about me. These attack ads are an attempt to define who is and who is not a good Canadian," he told the cheering crowd.
When the Conservatives took power, they were left with a $12 billion surplus which has not only been squandered, according to Ignatieff, but will become a $118 billion hole in five years.
Ignatieff started getting into local issues when talking about national unity.
"The prime minister of Canada has only one job and that is to unite Canadians and never divide them and that Mr. Harper doesn't understand," Ignatieff said, noting the spat between this province and Ottawa was completely unnecessary.
He said Harper's "divide and rule" strategy is not the Canadian way.
"Conservatives have not treated Newfoundland and Labrador with respect," he continued.
Instead of fighting with the province, said Ignatieff, Ottawa should be helping make the Lower Churchill project a reality.
And it should be looking at ways to improve search and rescue services, after the March crash of a Cougar helicopter that killed 17 people off St. John's.
"We can't place St. John's against Gander. We have to strengthen the whole (search and rescue) service right across the province," he said to more applause.
The province's search and rescue squadron is currently based in Gander, but many in the province say at least one helicopter should be based in the provincial capital.
dbartlett@thetelegram.com
Ignatieff on the offensive
Federal Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff and provincial Liberal Leader Yvonne Jones listen to speeches at the provincial Liberal Convention in Gander Saturday night. - Photo by Dave Bartlett/The Telegram
- Published on May 25th, 2009
- Published on June 30th, 2010
-
Dave Bartlett
The Telegram
Says Grits are ready for Tory attack ads
The Harper Conservatives' were successful when they used attack ads to turn voters away from former federal Liberal leader Stephane Dion.
But Saturday night, Dion's successor Michael Ignatieff, told the provincial Liberal party's convention in Gander it won't work this time.
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Comments
-
- W
- - July 2nd, 2010 at 13:33:26
Speaking Provincially of course............let's bring on Dean-O and give Dan-O the flick.
I'm sick of Danny.............can I have my vote back now. I'll be voting Liberal in the next election..............Liberal for the first time. -
- the butller did it
- - July 2nd, 2010 at 13:32:10
big joe....the button on the left of your keyboard is call caps lock . Turn it off so it doesn't look like you are a ranting fool. Joe, you that would rather have a one man show running Newfoundland and Labrador, than have a strong government with a strong mix of ideas and free thought.
It's people like you who have put us where we are, all talk...no walk. -
- Mary
- - July 2nd, 2010 at 13:31:31
Joe from Newfoundland has been gettin freebees from the Conserative Cookie Tin filled with conserative ingredients to help him with his anti Liberal attitudes. He is a grained conserative that squeaks when the word Liberals is mentioned. He is like a mouse hiding behind Harper's nasty, insulting Attack Ads, waiting for another cookie.
He should read the article of Newfoundland writer Frank Blackwood that tells Canadians the Harper Attack Ads are our tax dollars being wasted at a time when people are losing their jobs. Harper is very superficial when he says he is concerned for families who are havig such difficulty in having ends meet at home.
Blackwood tells it in a reality sense that is common sense which the Harper gouvernment has been ignoring. This is not a time to be getting popular votes, it is a time to take care of the problems facing all Canadians here at home.
Mary Shaw -
- Lane
- - July 2nd, 2010 at 13:27:02
Herbivorian is not even a word. He should have said herbivorous . I thought Ignatieff was supposed to be smart. I guess he just pretends.
-
- WTF
- - July 2nd, 2010 at 13:25:00
Who's Frank Blackwood? And aren't the attack ads being paid for the con party and not the taxpayer (but it wouldn't be the first time a party used gov't dollars for party ads).
-
- DB
- - July 2nd, 2010 at 13:21:49
What a choice we have between an American wannabe, a teacher and a socialist. God help us.
-
- JD
- - July 2nd, 2010 at 13:21:38
Iggy is no Obama, but he has to be at least a slight improvement over Harper, isn't he? I would rather have Iggy run the show in the short term (instead of Harper) and hopefully a real leader for Canada emerges in the meantime.
I really wish we could find our own Obama. When I see Harper on the news at International conventions I feel embarrassed by his representation of our great country. Bushism is over now...Harper has to go too. -
- Mary
- - July 2nd, 2010 at 13:19:51
Frank Blackwood is a Newfoundland Writer. it is obvious that you are not tuned in to your native born journalist, the best in Canada. I wonder if you ever buy your local papers??
The Attack ads are payed from donations from the general public to support their party, but not the ads. -
- Sandy
- - July 2nd, 2010 at 13:19:10
It will be great to see Ignatieff as PRIME MINISTER of Canada. It will be much better for NL. Now we need some good men and women to get involved with the NL Liberal party.
-
- Spencer
- - July 2nd, 2010 at 13:17:40
Ignatieff is not less of a Canadian because he lived abroad for 35 years. But he IS less of a Canadian because while living abroad he compared the Canadian flag to a beer label and said the only thing he missed about Canada was Algonquin Park. And he's less of a Canadian because he called the U.S. his country. And he's less of a Canadian because he said he would go back to the U.S. if he doesn't get elected here. Why on earth would anyone even think about making this rude foreigner our Prime Minister?
-
- big
- - July 2nd, 2010 at 13:16:36
old herbivorian professor
what is an HERBIVORIAN..............
THE PC DON' T NEED ATTACK ADS.....THIS GUY IS LIKE KEN DRYDEN....AN OUT OF TOUCH....ACADEMIC...FULL OF HIMSELF...BRAIN DEAD.....MORON....TOTALLY OUT OF TOUCH WITH COMMON PERSON......
HE'LL BE WORST THAN HARPER FOR NFLD/LAB............
HERBIVORIAN........90 PER CENT OF DELEGATES AT LIBERAL CONVENTION DON'T KNOW IF AN HERBIVORIAN IS GOOD TO EAT......WHAT A JOKE......
LIBERALS REBUILDING.........SURE.....
THEY MAY GAIN POWER PROVINCIALLY IN 10-15 YEARS TIME...........FEDERALLY...A LITTLE LESS...5-8 YEARS TIME.......
LIBERALS IN NFLD/LAB SO POOR NOW...THEY HAD TO HAVE ONE DAY CONVENTION.......SATURDAY..........
WHY DIDN'T THEY ASK FORMER LEADERS BRIAN TOBIN OR MR. GIVEAWAY ROGER GRIMES TO SPEAK.......
THEN NOBODY WOULD HAVE SHOWED UP......... -
- John W.
- - July 2nd, 2010 at 13:14:47
Lloyd from Labrador, I figure that the resources not only belong to Labrador but to us all in this great Province.
It appears to me that every time you come and give your remarks you bicker, whine, and make inaccurate statements just to get attention. No matter what our people in power do, it always falls short of your expectations.
Labrador has a population of under 30,000. Well, I guess that is certainly more than a handful of people. The last few years have brought Labrador closer to better housing, living conditions and many other needed realities. Only so much can be accomplished in a given time. Seems to be that you are under the impression that you are being punished for your attempt to separate from Newfoundland back in the year 2002.
Anyway I hope your ship comes in one day. -
- Frank
- - July 2nd, 2010 at 13:14:41
Ignatieff is quick to criticise harper for the unilateral and unfair inclusion of offshore oil royalties to be included in the calculation of Equalization. It cost this Province $1.5 billion.
Ignatieff has never said what he would do about it.
Would he rescind the decision and let Newfoundland keep its royalties without penalising us through Equalization?
Siobhan Coady said to Paddy Daly on Out of the Fog that the country is in tough economic times and that everyone has to suffer in this recession .
That is a foolish response because no other province was deliberately targeted.
If Ignatieff does not overturn the policy, he is no different that Harper. -
- Maurice E.
- - July 2nd, 2010 at 13:11:56
Keep in mind that Search and Rescue is not just DND, it is also (very much so in this province) the ships and onshore marine traffic and communications services of the Canadian Coast Guard.
Why is it that Coast Guard spends hundreds of millions of dollars every year to break ice in the River and Gulf of St. Lawrence and on the Great lakes so that it is economical for ships to get in and out of Central Canada --- but will only take a disabled NL fishing vessel on Grand Banks in tow if it is or expected to be in danger?
Isn't the cost of fishing on the stormy Grand Banks important to NL's economy?
I guess only the economics of keeping the import/exports of goods to/from Central Canada is important to Coast Guard/Canada.
Got to keep them prices down for Ontario consumers and their exporters.
But the primary producers (fishers) involved in a Billion dollar industry in NL must pay their own way. Another subsidy for Ontario ---- and a kick in b....t for NL.
Why not save billions in federal tax dollars and tell ships to pay for their own icebreaking services --- or go to Halifax?
That would be treating Central Canada the same way as they treat the NL fishing industry. -
- Lloyd
- - July 2nd, 2010 at 13:10:41
Instead of fighting with the province, said Ignatieff, Ottawa should be helping make the Lower Churchill project a reality. unquote
Regarding the so called 'Lower Churchill', I am pretty interested in seeing how Ignatieff feels about how the current 'development' plan, as well as past plans (Liberal and provincial Conservative) have absolutely nothing in the works for Labradorians and Labrador communities to benefit from their own resource.
How about that Mr. Ignatieff? Do you support the continued rip off of Labrador's resources with everyone else getting benefits and none for Labradorians? -
- Christine
- - July 2nd, 2010 at 13:09:52
I agree with you Sandy.. Michael is the man!! We will be better off! I think people are going to see that and support the party. There are a lot of good folks involved already and are determined to not be led blindly by Conservatives/ PC's. My husband was at the convention this weekend and he saw such enthousiam by the young Liberals. He was quite impressed by them and how they asked so many appropriate and intelligent questions. He remarked no sheep in that group!
-
- W
- - July 1st, 2010 at 20:22:04
Speaking Provincially of course............let's bring on Dean-O and give Dan-O the flick.
I'm sick of Danny.............can I have my vote back now. I'll be voting Liberal in the next election..............Liberal for the first time. -
- the butller did it
- - July 1st, 2010 at 20:20:58
big joe....the button on the left of your keyboard is call caps lock . Turn it off so it doesn't look like you are a ranting fool. Joe, you that would rather have a one man show running Newfoundland and Labrador, than have a strong government with a strong mix of ideas and free thought.
It's people like you who have put us where we are, all talk...no walk. -
- Mary
- - July 1st, 2010 at 20:20:05
Joe from Newfoundland has been gettin freebees from the Conserative Cookie Tin filled with conserative ingredients to help him with his anti Liberal attitudes. He is a grained conserative that squeaks when the word Liberals is mentioned. He is like a mouse hiding behind Harper's nasty, insulting Attack Ads, waiting for another cookie.
He should read the article of Newfoundland writer Frank Blackwood that tells Canadians the Harper Attack Ads are our tax dollars being wasted at a time when people are losing their jobs. Harper is very superficial when he says he is concerned for families who are havig such difficulty in having ends meet at home.
Blackwood tells it in a reality sense that is common sense which the Harper gouvernment has been ignoring. This is not a time to be getting popular votes, it is a time to take care of the problems facing all Canadians here at home.
Mary Shaw -
- Lane
- - July 1st, 2010 at 20:14:21
Herbivorian is not even a word. He should have said herbivorous . I thought Ignatieff was supposed to be smart. I guess he just pretends.
-
- WTF
- - July 1st, 2010 at 20:10:59
Who's Frank Blackwood? And aren't the attack ads being paid for the con party and not the taxpayer (but it wouldn't be the first time a party used gov't dollars for party ads).
-
- DB
- - July 1st, 2010 at 20:05:41
What a choice we have between an American wannabe, a teacher and a socialist. God help us.
-
- JD
- - July 1st, 2010 at 20:05:22
Iggy is no Obama, but he has to be at least a slight improvement over Harper, isn't he? I would rather have Iggy run the show in the short term (instead of Harper) and hopefully a real leader for Canada emerges in the meantime.
I really wish we could find our own Obama. When I see Harper on the news at International conventions I feel embarrassed by his representation of our great country. Bushism is over now...Harper has to go too. -
- Mary
- - July 1st, 2010 at 20:02:10
Frank Blackwood is a Newfoundland Writer. it is obvious that you are not tuned in to your native born journalist, the best in Canada. I wonder if you ever buy your local papers??
The Attack ads are payed from donations from the general public to support their party, but not the ads. -
- Sandy
- - July 1st, 2010 at 20:00:56
It will be great to see Ignatieff as PRIME MINISTER of Canada. It will be much better for NL. Now we need some good men and women to get involved with the NL Liberal party.
-
- Spencer
- - July 1st, 2010 at 19:58:30
Ignatieff is not less of a Canadian because he lived abroad for 35 years. But he IS less of a Canadian because while living abroad he compared the Canadian flag to a beer label and said the only thing he missed about Canada was Algonquin Park. And he's less of a Canadian because he called the U.S. his country. And he's less of a Canadian because he said he would go back to the U.S. if he doesn't get elected here. Why on earth would anyone even think about making this rude foreigner our Prime Minister?
-
- big
- - July 1st, 2010 at 19:56:39
old herbivorian professor
what is an HERBIVORIAN..............
THE PC DON' T NEED ATTACK ADS.....THIS GUY IS LIKE KEN DRYDEN....AN OUT OF TOUCH....ACADEMIC...FULL OF HIMSELF...BRAIN DEAD.....MORON....TOTALLY OUT OF TOUCH WITH COMMON PERSON......
HE'LL BE WORST THAN HARPER FOR NFLD/LAB............
HERBIVORIAN........90 PER CENT OF DELEGATES AT LIBERAL CONVENTION DON'T KNOW IF AN HERBIVORIAN IS GOOD TO EAT......WHAT A JOKE......
LIBERALS REBUILDING.........SURE.....
THEY MAY GAIN POWER PROVINCIALLY IN 10-15 YEARS TIME...........FEDERALLY...A LITTLE LESS...5-8 YEARS TIME.......
LIBERALS IN NFLD/LAB SO POOR NOW...THEY HAD TO HAVE ONE DAY CONVENTION.......SATURDAY..........
WHY DIDN'T THEY ASK FORMER LEADERS BRIAN TOBIN OR MR. GIVEAWAY ROGER GRIMES TO SPEAK.......
THEN NOBODY WOULD HAVE SHOWED UP......... -
- John W.
- - July 1st, 2010 at 19:53:52
Lloyd from Labrador, I figure that the resources not only belong to Labrador but to us all in this great Province.
It appears to me that every time you come and give your remarks you bicker, whine, and make inaccurate statements just to get attention. No matter what our people in power do, it always falls short of your expectations.
Labrador has a population of under 30,000. Well, I guess that is certainly more than a handful of people. The last few years have brought Labrador closer to better housing, living conditions and many other needed realities. Only so much can be accomplished in a given time. Seems to be that you are under the impression that you are being punished for your attempt to separate from Newfoundland back in the year 2002.
Anyway I hope your ship comes in one day. -
- Frank
- - July 1st, 2010 at 19:53:43
Ignatieff is quick to criticise harper for the unilateral and unfair inclusion of offshore oil royalties to be included in the calculation of Equalization. It cost this Province $1.5 billion.
Ignatieff has never said what he would do about it.
Would he rescind the decision and let Newfoundland keep its royalties without penalising us through Equalization?
Siobhan Coady said to Paddy Daly on Out of the Fog that the country is in tough economic times and that everyone has to suffer in this recession .
That is a foolish response because no other province was deliberately targeted.
If Ignatieff does not overturn the policy, he is no different that Harper. -
- Maurice E.
- - July 1st, 2010 at 19:48:50
Keep in mind that Search and Rescue is not just DND, it is also (very much so in this province) the ships and onshore marine traffic and communications services of the Canadian Coast Guard.
Why is it that Coast Guard spends hundreds of millions of dollars every year to break ice in the River and Gulf of St. Lawrence and on the Great lakes so that it is economical for ships to get in and out of Central Canada --- but will only take a disabled NL fishing vessel on Grand Banks in tow if it is or expected to be in danger?
Isn't the cost of fishing on the stormy Grand Banks important to NL's economy?
I guess only the economics of keeping the import/exports of goods to/from Central Canada is important to Coast Guard/Canada.
Got to keep them prices down for Ontario consumers and their exporters.
But the primary producers (fishers) involved in a Billion dollar industry in NL must pay their own way. Another subsidy for Ontario ---- and a kick in b....t for NL.
Why not save billions in federal tax dollars and tell ships to pay for their own icebreaking services --- or go to Halifax?
That would be treating Central Canada the same way as they treat the NL fishing industry. -
- Lloyd
- - July 1st, 2010 at 19:46:51
Instead of fighting with the province, said Ignatieff, Ottawa should be helping make the Lower Churchill project a reality. unquote
Regarding the so called 'Lower Churchill', I am pretty interested in seeing how Ignatieff feels about how the current 'development' plan, as well as past plans (Liberal and provincial Conservative) have absolutely nothing in the works for Labradorians and Labrador communities to benefit from their own resource.
How about that Mr. Ignatieff? Do you support the continued rip off of Labrador's resources with everyone else getting benefits and none for Labradorians? -
- Christine
- - July 1st, 2010 at 19:45:28
I agree with you Sandy.. Michael is the man!! We will be better off! I think people are going to see that and support the party. There are a lot of good folks involved already and are determined to not be led blindly by Conservatives/ PC's. My husband was at the convention this weekend and he saw such enthousiam by the young Liberals. He was quite impressed by them and how they asked so many appropriate and intelligent questions. He remarked no sheep in that group!
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