- Just 'Boot' Stephen Harper and the Con's - never mind 'rebooting' Michael Ignatieff

Rebooting Michael IgnatieffHandlers hope Liberal leader's back-to-school tour will help revitalize their party's sagging fortunes, Susan Delacourt, Jan 10 2010
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/748676--rebooting-michael-ignatieff?bn=1#comments
Submitted: 10:38am, PST,10 Jan.'10

Last week Ignatieff described the purpose of his University circuit as "listen and learn".

Whereas, these are admirable intellectual pursuits which I am sure student will appreciate. There are a number of reasons (some important ones set out below) I am not so sure this is going to achieve much.

Also, UofVic newspaper noted that the Liberal leader would do well to talk about the environment", which suggest another issue. To what extent have the Liberals researched exactly what are the needs and concerns of students at our various Universities.

If this UofVic 'media advisory' were news to Ignatieff, then it's going to be a long trek. 'Looking before you leap' is important as we saw last Fall when Ignatieff seemed to have missed the overwhelming feeling of Canadian about an election before he jumped into his "giving notice" campaign, to the extent that one wonders how that could be so. On the other hand, Harper seemed to have no trouble in guessing the sentiments of the vast majority on that issue.

What is more that might be gleaned from this is that the students don't want some esoteric, intellectual discussion about an Utopia in the murky future.

I suggest that they are like all Canadians, if not more so. That is, students are concerned about their futures, jobs, the withering debt they are being left with. They are also concerned about Global Warming for which they are the ones who will be left to pay.

Further, like all of us, they want a leader that will fight for them, these things, what this great nation stands for, maintain what we have achieved in the past, and perhaps improve on it, if possible, and leave them with the appreciation of us having lived here and not a bitter resentment that we were ever given a turn at the helm.

I suggest that students, like all of us, are concerned that they will not only will they have to suffer the extreme climate changes precipitated by Global Warming. But, when the Third World Countries come 'knocking' for retribution, and they will come 'knocking', law suits, based on the tobacco law suit precedents, with awards in the trillions (that's 10 to the power of 12) will be the least of their worries. It's the looking at all Canada's (assuming there is a Canada then, another acute issue) resources and how 'we did nothing to stop it' justification that is much scarier, by far. Does anyone really think they, with no water, engulfed in systemic famine, floods, catastrophic weather, will say, "Oh, but Canada's inaction was justified because it only accounts for only 2% of global warming gases". Not likely.

Then, of course, there is Harper and the Con's extreme contempt for all Canada's Democratic institutions and Harper's systematic dismantling this nation and abandoning its responsibilities leaving the Provinces to fill the void.

Also, the Afghan Detainee transfer scandal and ensuing cover-up, with its potential for the ICC (International Criminal Courts) at the Hague - there's the basis of intellectual and stimulating discussion. All I want to know is: how do you get a seat as an onlooker at the ICC, anyway. Do they sell tickets? Do you to book in advance? Are there Scalpers? Can you apply to be on the prosecution team? Pro Bono? I asked MacKay, you were Foreign Affairs Minister, to check that out for me, but I haven't heard back, yet. Any of your reading know. Thanks.


Our campuses are a centre for intellectual activity, but also, there is also the traditional centre and very visible and passionate protesting corrupt governments.

We can count on our students not to allow Harper, Baird, Prentice and all the Con's to define "urgency" as "panic","passionate advocacy" as 'irrational'.

Lloyd MacIlquham cicblog.com/comments.html