What a mess. Though I confess myself confused - if Miz Augustine stepped aside for him, wouldn't the riding association "get the message"? Or is this not one of the riding associations that Paul Martin so famously controls with whip hand? I thought under the Canadian system - especially with the Liberal party - if the head office decides it wants the local branch to jump, the local branch says, "How high?" Of course, I'm used to the American system, where winning a party primary does not even entitle you to the backing of the party - it almost always occurs, but there are enough exceptions to prove the rule. And the primary is a bona fide election, not just among "party members" in some school gym. Some places you don't have to be registered as an X party voter to vote in the X party primary . . .

PMPM, the Lie-berals, democracy, Hah! What a joke!

The Liberal Party is: RED!

Red flag, Red Book, Red on brochures, posters & etc.
Insiders call "it" The Party. The Party coerces, intimidates columnists/bloggers, eg, Andrew Coyne; remember how fearful witness Dezainde was at the Gomery Inquiry--- fearful of losing his wife-- asked for protection by the RCMP!!!

The Party sends a lawyer's letter to Stephen Harper. This letter should be published.

More proof of Red tactics: the Party is sending their lawyers to the nomination meeting to intimidate/guide the results!!! >>>

Liberal Party lawyers will be on hand at the nomination meeting to dispute the riding association's version of events.
http://www.simonpole.ca/

Save your outrage. The two jilted candidates say they're still going to vote Liberal. Told Mike Duffy that last night. And you can bet the rest of the community will do the same. I'd have thought Ukranians would know a dictatorship, even an elected one, when they saw one. Really, these folks get what they deserve, and who among us is surprised at all this. I only hope that Hal is trounced by the Bloc. He looked mighty impatient when questioned by reporters, like they were doggy turds stuck to his shoes. Doesn't he know he needs them?

Augustine was being pushed out? Yes, but not by Martin. Another middle-aged white man replaces a tried-and-true MP who is a woman of colour? Yes, but not by Ignatieff. From the Hill Times, October 2004 (short excerpt out of respect for Kate's wishes to keep them short):

Grit MP's riding association subject to 'hostile take-over'
Four-term Liberal MP Jean Augustine loses control of Etobicoke-Lakeshore riding executive
The Hill Times, October 4th, 2004

Four-term Liberal MP Jean Augustine, a former junior Cabinet minister in the last Parliament, says her riding was subject to a "hostile take-over" last Thursday night.

Ms. Augustine said her slate of 16 candidates lost control of the riding association election which may eventually lead to the loss of her Liberal nomination in the next election. Declared Ms. Augustine: "The riding association is really the support for the Member. So, it just means that these people come on with one intent and that intent is to position themselves so that they could seek the nomination that's coming up, not that they are coming on to the executive to work for Liberals in Etobicoke Lakeshore because they've not been around. I just came through a campaign and those people were not there with me in the campaign."

Ms. Augustine, 67, who was first elected to the House in 1993 and since then has been re-elected three times, said that people in the riding association told her that the new riding association president Roman or Ron Chyczij, a Ukranian-Canadian, has the support of the neighbouring riding's newly-elected Liberal MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj (Etobicoke Centre, Ont.), also a Ukranian Canadian to ensure "that the next member of Parliament from Etobicoke Lakeshore is Ukranian."

"As far as I know, it's a group of individuals who are from the Ukranian community who have been working with Borys Wrzesnewskyj. They've decided that they want to make sure that the next Member of Parliament from Etobicoke Lakeshore is Ukranian," said Ms. Augustine.

Who was it who said that all politics is local?

You know people feel threatened by you and threatened by different views - a strong federalist who is not anti-American, a strong statist who is not against the war on terrorism - when they can't stop blogging about rumours and out-of-context quotations.

I'm not surprised to see the Dippers coming out in force against Ignatieff because of his support of the war in Iraq, the fight against Islamofascism (he is a left-of-centre liberal/Liberal who uses the term regularly), his stated anti-anti-Americanism. But I confess I'm a little surprised by the stabs by some on the right. I would have expected a little more stand-offish intrigue of this new political personality than some of the attacks.

Personally, as a Liberal supporter, I haven't figured out what I think about him as a whole and whether to support him generally since I have not heard enough from him about enough issues. What I do know though is he represents the possibility of very fresh thinking. He doesn't fit into a neat little leftwing/rightwing box. He doesn't hold back his opinions even if they go against the grain of the party. He does not blur his true opinions but speaks openly about them even when they are controversial or even when he's not reached a conclusion on his opinion.

We complain and complain and complain about politicians and their inability to speak honestly about their views for fear of alienating a voter base, about politicians and their inability to look at the voters instead of polling results, about their inability to speak directly and openly about policies and issues instead of imagery. Then we get one and the reaction to him shows me why we get so few of them.

Like I said, I don't know if I would ever vote for him if I had the chance, but with this kind of reaction it's no wonder we get the politicians that we do.

TB
Cerberus

Remember this little nugget from Ignateiff's speech in March?

"Finally my friends, mes cheres amis, there's one value we almost never mention on a political podium. But it seems to me a key liberal value, and I learned it from my mother. When my mother passed the pie over the table, she would say, 'have a liberal helping'. 'Liberal' means generous."

Sorry, Michael. Generous is not the word to describe someone who takes a liberal helping for himself... something the party is very good at.

You should have said, "Being a Liberal means never having to say your sorry."

I shed no tears for Augustine. Don't forget what she said at the height of the Don Cherry controversy:

"The government will not tolerate statements that create dissonance in our society and disrespect for others."

I will never support Ignatieff and his boss, Stephen Harper, for their support of the Iraq war.

Sorry, I seem to have made a mistake.

A few minutes has passed while I have been typing this, and I have just learned that Ignatieff is a Liberal candidate and that Martin himself said in April 2003 that we needed to be "supporting our allies" (saying this as he was undercutting Chretien by having opposing views to the ex PM.)

So what if Martin and Ignatieff both supported the Iraq war?

Both are good men!

Yours truly,

Typical Ontario voter.

The Liberal riding association prez just did the Don Newman Pony Show. He just torpedoed Ignatief's Etobicoke campaign... uh - how do you say 'bigtime' in Ukranian?

Personnally I think Paul put Ignatieff into this riding to get rid of him. PM doesn't want future candidates for PM around to put the knife in "his" back after the election.

The defence of Ignatieff misses the entire point, which would be understandable in the case of Liberals. The botch-up is not Ignatieff's doing. It is the Liberal party that is making a mockery of itself and its hollow claims about reforming democratic process. At least if the Liberal Party Czar forced Ignatieff on the Etobicoke Ukrainians by fiat it would be honest, tyrannical political hardball. Instead, it was a staged democracy. That is the point.

Liberal means staged democracy.

The point came home for me when Chretien quipped, "It was a great day today. I (!!!) passed the Kyoto legislation." It illustrates the depth of Liberal contempt for Parliament and democratic process.

Paul Martin's democratic deficit program - ON STEROIDS

Gotta luv the guy . he actually doesn't even know he is lying anymore . .

Speaking of controversial Fiberal nominees... Belinda has THIS on her website.

SOURCE, via Shotgun

The orange crowd is fairly familiar with managed democracy. they've stared down bigger bullies. not a clue what the liberals are thinking.

Iggy is on the tube right now . . there is heckling but he is giving his acceptance speech.

Sucking up big times to his Ukranian sympathies.

I reckon the riding association should revolt and nominate a candidate on their own. At the very least, split the vote on Ignatieff with the other nominated Liberal candidate.

Just saw "Iggy" on CTV, my first impresion is this guy is really creepy. You know, makes your skin crawl, like an old Boris Karloff movie that you saw as a kid for the first time.

I doubt the riding Liberals would vote against a Liberal. More likely is a quick lawsuit seeking an injunction.

Ignatieff tried to suggest that the Bill C-331 was a government bill. It was presented by Inky Mark. Bill C-331 is the Ukrainian Canadian Restitution Act.

It would appear that the Leader of the Opposition in 1993, the Rt. Hon. Jean Chrétien stated in a letter:
"The Liberal Party understands your concern. As you know, we support your efforts to secure the redress of Ukrainian-Canadians' claims arising from their internment and loss of freedom during the First World War and Inter-war period. You can be assured that we will continue to monitor the situation closely and seek to ensure that the government honours its promise."

What a disgrace.

Ken made a good point. Maybe this was done to get rid of him. A man of his er, stature, might not take kindly to being treated like this. And if he ends up being dumped, well, there go his aspirations and he can return to Harvard or U of T or wherever he feels really important and appreciated.

Ken, me likey your idea. On the right we tend to think Martin's a twit but he didn't get to be where he is without playing some hardball, and I wouldn't want Ignatieff around if I was him.

Been a busy day...just caught up on all of this.

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I cannot believe this.

So would Martin appoint the person most likely to front the group who would out a Shiv in back...

It is 7:20 EST anyone heard if the meeting in Alf Apps email took place and what was the result.

This is almost "alliance", (stock Day version) in its incompetence.

Oh my I am enjoying this just a little too much. Now I am wishing it was a short campaign so the CPC doesnt peak early.

Meg Q

From what I've heard, the party brass didn't want to be seem parachuting a "star" candidate into this riding so they attempted to engineer Ignatieff's nomination by other means. The plan was to have him acclaimed without opposition and they were going to do this by having an extremely narrow window of opportunity for another candidate to file his/her nomination papers. It appears they even tried to keep the riding association's doors locked - I read that another candidate had to slide their papers under the door. CBC radio had an interview this afternoon with the head of the Etobicoke-Lakeshore Liberal riding association.

rom: Apps, Alfred [mailto:aapps@tor.fasken.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 12:15 AM
To: Apps, Alfred
Subject: Michael Ignatieff - Etobicoke Lakeshore Nomination Meeting -
Wednesday November 30 - 5:30 p.m.

Friends:

It is not my practice to stay up late writing mass emails to colleagues
so, in the interest of preserving your privacy, I have addressed this
email on a blind basis to many friends of Liberal association and
affiliation.

For more than a year, a number of us have been attempting to persuade
our good friend, Michael Ignatieff, to stand for Parliament. We have
pursued this course because we believe that Canadian politics, and
particularly Liberal Party politics, are rejuvenated in every generation
by new blood, new thinking and new approaches to applying liberal ideas
and ideals. We believe that Michael Ignatieff, the distinguished world
scholar, philosopher, journalist, teacher, writer and commentator, will
make an extraordinarily positive contribution to Canada's civic life and
public debate in a challenging new century.

I hope you agree.

Not long ago, we finally persuaded Michael Ignatieff, to abandon his
brilliant academic career at Harvard to devote what will likely be the
last phase of his working life to public service. He has agreed to stand
for Parliament in the riding of Etobicoke Lakeshore.

I am writing you now, at the last minute and in the context of an
electoral emergency, to ask you to stand up for something good for
Canada and for out party. I am asking you, with very little notice, to
take time out of your busy schedule to attend Michael's nomination
meeting later today (i.e. on Wednesday evening, November 30, 2005) as a
tangible demonstration of support for the commitment he is offering to
his native land. I would not ask you to do this if I did not firmly
believe that your presence would make a difference.

Please feel free to bring your partners/friends. You do not have to be a
member of the Etobicoke-Lakeshore riding to attend.

The details of the nomination meeting are as follows:

Date: Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Time: 5.30 pm
Location: VALHALLA INN TORONTO AIRPORT
1 Valhalla Inn Road
(Highway 427 and Burnhamthorpe Road)
Toronto, Ontario M9B IS9
Direction: http://www.needahotel.ca/valhallainn/

I expect the proceedings will be concluded no later than 7 p.m.

I would be remiss if I did not address the fact that Michael's entry
into public life has been attended by some controversy. In fact, a group
of Ukrainian Canadians who wanted to win the nomination launched a quite
tendentious smear of Michael's reputation over the weekend, suggesting
he held hostile and even racist views about Ukrainians. This attempt to
manipulate the Ukrainian community into opposing Michael's candidacy was
a transparently cynical move. In fact, they took some phrase from his
book "Blood and Belonging" entirely out of context to make their
argument. The whole point of the book they attack was to rebut certain
stereotypes and odious cultural myths about Ukrainians, which he does
admirably. By accusing him of holding the very views he goes to such
pains to debunk, they have entirely twisted his words and perverted his
meaning. This sort of attack must be resisted or no one of quality will
come forward for public service.

For those of you who are interested, I have copies of the relevant
chapter from "Blood and Belonging" and a copy of the statement he made
yesterday in response to the allegations so that you can judge the
matter for yourself.

We are excited about this candidacy. Your presence tonight would be
greatly appreciated. Please do let me know if you can come by return
email.

Thank you most sincerely for your attention to the foregoing.

W. Alfred Apps
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Barristers & Solicitors
Patent & Trade Mark Agents
Toronto, Ontario

aapps@tor.fasken.com
Tel:(416) 868-3339
Fax:(416) 364-7813>>>>>>>
via simonpole.ca

ctv:

"Some think Martin running a democratic deficit"

http://tinyurl.com/c57tw

There is one clear message from the Ignatieff affaire. No Canadian should ever think, write or say anything that is not a talking point should that person ever entertain the thought of a public career.

Perish thought.

Brain. Dead. Country.

Mark
Ottawa

Please see other controversies by racist Ignatieff in addition to promote hatred against Ukrainians:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Ignatieff

includes:
- his resolute stances in favour of Canadian support for the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq and the proposed Canada-U.S. North American Missile Defence Shield.
- favour of certain types of torture
- His great-grandfather was Count Nikolay Pavlovich Ignatyev, the Russian Minister of the Interior under Tsar Alexander III who brought in the anti-Semitic May Laws that restricted Jews to the Pale of Settlement among other restrictive measures.


We must expel Ignatieff from the Liberal party, expose him for his racist views and lobby the government to begin a process to deport him to Russia

carlos: you can't possibly be that stupid.

Qouting Carlos with commnets:

- his resolute stances in favour of Canadian support for the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq and the proposed Canada-U.S. North American Missile Defence Shield.

This is problem? Me too, worthy causes, both.

- favour of certain types of torture

Depends what torture is? GRabbing someone arms or yelling at them from time to time, doesn;t qualify in my book, but it does to some. We have to be precise here. What EXACTLY did he favour?

- His great-grandfather was Count Nikolay Pavlovich Ignatyev, the Russian Minister of the Interior under Tsar Alexander III who brought in the anti-Semitic May Laws that restricted Jews to the Pale of Settlement among other restrictive measures.

Who the heck cares what his GREAT GRANDfather did? Who would dredge this up?

fred: you actually think he was serious?

I think "carlos" is a plant, or a joke, or both. I mean, who here cares about "[expelling] Ignatieff from the Liberal party"?

Um, nobody? That's what I thought. Nice try, "carlos".

Meg, I agree. If the Liberals want him - great. If the Ukrainians don't want him - tough noogies. You wanna vote Liberal? Go for it. Anyone who wants to vote Liberal is a moron and deserves what he or she gets.

I don't know if I'm going to get through this election campaign without tossing my cookies at least once from the smell of all the Liberal BS.

To maz2:
Further to your "red party" comment, I'm an old dog now but when the 'flag' was presented by the liberals in '65(?) there was a rumor that the opposition parties favoured blue borders but that someone in the then PMO said there would be no tory blue on the flag of canada except over his dead body.
Maybe in this day of great technology and communication that is not sanitized by the MSM someone might find something more to this.

Doesn't he have any commitments to Harvard? Shouldn't he have classes to finish up by Christmas and new ones starting in January? Why didn't he join the Lieberals in the summer, since as Martin "promised" (haha) there would be an election by the spring?

According to the Harvard Crimson in September, he was on his way to U of Toronto in January.

Mikhail Ignatieff is a professor of human rights. Human rights as dictated by the Red "Party" and Czar Paul Martin, he of AdScam/Earnscliffe/Bell Media/Power Corp. Comrades, meet Mikhail Ignatieff... ****************

"Mr. Ignatieff bought a condo in Toronto in the summer, and though he is still teaching at Harvard University, he has also been appointed a visiting professor of human rights at the University of Toronto. The appointment at U of T does not begin until Jan. 1.

"I hope that I have put to rest what I regard as malicious defamations of my integrity and character. I have the right to reply to these attacks and I have now done so. Let's move on," he said Wednesday night." Mikhail Ignatieff
via g&m

Johnmac,

It you are a tenured professor you can do pretty much anything you want. Besides, the rumor is that he is at the end of his academic career and ready to move on to bigger and better things, like being handed a nomination and joining the Martin posse.

It all makes no sense, especially if they consider this guy Prime Minister material. The Liberals will never court the neo-con vote, and all they're doing is turning off their own base.

Pofessor "Iggy" is a Poercor owned Judas Goat....He's a Bob Rea confidante who is in love with communist China, regardless of his pseudo right wing pro US image.

It's great to see these Powercor political coups get busted at the riding level....shows there may be some light at the end of the democratic tunnel that is not a train driven by Quebec's political corrupting corporate oligarchs.

Great point WLMK.

ANd on that topic, who else is creeped out by the rumours of Sophie Desmarais/Peter MacKay?

What is it with that family? Seems they groom their children to bewitch, entrap and then corrupt all our political leaders, and tie them into the PowerCorp/Montreal Mafia.

It's a little bit Sci/Fi or John Grisham, don't you think?

Ignatieff put down his critics last night. This issue has a week to go, max. He is going to win EL is a walk.

Liberals who are losing support for Ignatieff just need to take one look at his keynote speech to understand the value he can bring to the party.

http://davidakin.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2005/3/4/396325.html

Ignatieff up for challenge

...He's already checked with the federal integrity commissioner to confirm he could teach at U of T if elected MP, and pledges to find a way to occasionally lecture at the university in some form should Liberals form a government and he be chosen for a cabinet post.

"I absolutely love being a classroom teacher."

http://tinyurl.com/9nye6

Yup! You are right. They need to take a look at the speech.