Michael Ignatieff's Latest Gift to the Tories

Goodale, McGuinty should remind Canadians what is wrong with Liberal Party

Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff must imagine his planned townhall meetings -- dubbed 'Open Mike" townhalls -- is the quickest way for his party to position itself to form government in a forthcoming election.

Unfortunately, what Ignatieff is leaving behind him in Ottawa -- a new house leader and a new deputy leader -- should only remind Canadians why they voted the Liberal party out of office in the first place.

Ralph Goodale will be assuming the role of deputy leader, serving as Liberal leader in Ignatieff's place. Even better for the governing Conservatives is the prospect of David McGuinty as Liberal house leader.

“I’m going to continue getting out there and meeting Canadians all through the fall in our ‘Open mike’ town hall meetings," Ignatieff explained. "That’s why I need Ralph’s steady hand in Ottawa."

For his own part, Goodale looks forward to the challenge.

"It's a key responsibility that I am anxious to deliver well for Mr Ignatieff," Goodale announced. "He needs to have confidence that everything is being managed in the House and on the Parliamentary front so he can do that critical job of gaining face action with Canadian voters. I am very pleased and anxious to tackle the challenge."

Of course, what Canadians shouldn't have forgotten is that it was Goodale's "steady hand" in the Department of Finance that declined to investigate the leak of a decision regarding Income Trust taxation that ultimately led to the ouster of the Paul Martin government when the RCMP intervened to investigate.

To this very day, Goodale decries the timing of the investigation -- announced in the midst of the 2005/06 election. If Goodale had investigated when he had the opportunity, instead of simply refusing, the timing wouldn't have been an issue.

For the Conservatives, the appointment of David McGuinty as House Leader is even better: in the public mind it will push the federal Liberals even closer to the provincial Liberals (led by McGuinty's brother), whose government continues to sink deeper and deeper into scandal.

If that weren't enough, McGuinty will also remind Canadians of the disingenuity of Liberal overtures on climate change: while he was the Liberal environment critic, McGuinty earned a reputation for renting gas-gazzling, carbon-spewing Cadillacs.

Not only will David McGuinty associate the federal Grits even closer with their troubled provincial counterparts, but he will remind Canadians of the Liberal failure on their own climate change policies -- perhaps better described as a complete disregard of their own climate change policies.

Unfortunately, Canadians often have a short memory about such things. It will be up to the Conservatives to remind Canadians about these two individuals and their ugly records, both in and out of government.