Jack Layton shuts window on Michael Ignatieff and the Liberals

Hey, it could all change tomorrow, but what is being reported today is that Jack Layton and the NDP has agreed to support Stephen Harper and the Conservatives through to the June break of parliament.

That noise you hear is Michael Ignatieff grinding his teeth.  Or is that the sound of members of the Liberal caucus sharpening their knives?

Michael Ignatieff's questionable fury about the deficit

Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff is mad about the $50 billion deficit.  Finance Minister Jim Flaherty must resign, or so says Ignatieff. 

Like his patriotism, Michael Ignatieff's anger seems fake.  Former Bank of Canada Governor David Dodge said that the level of the deficit is appropriate under the circumstances.  And David Dodge had a secret meeting with Michael Ignatieff just last week, lending his wisdom to Michael Ignatieff on questions about the economy.

The Liberals (presumably) leaked the details of this meeting, but it wasn't reported that Michael Ignatieff gave David Dodge a hard time about what Dodge would have told Ignatieff was an appropriate level of deficit. 

My most (tar baby) terrible post (niggardly) ever!

Liberal and NDP MPs are demanding an apology from Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre because Poilievre used the term "tar baby" twice in the House of Commons.

Michael Ignatieff messes Stephen Harper up...by snitching on him...with lawyers

Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff.  Tough guy.

Don't mess with him or he'll mess with you.

And how does the Hound of Harvard mess with you?  He'll send his lawyers out to snitch on you, hoping that someone will do his messing for him.

Yeah.  So there.  Consider yourself messed.

Ruby Dhalla evicted from her constituency office [Resolved]

Ruby Dhalla, embattled Liberal MP, had an eviction notice posted at her office.

Ruby Dhalla responded to my story reporting on it, demanding a retraction, but did not deny that the letter had been posted.

I got in touch with the Bailiff.  The letter was legitimate but the matter has been resolved.

2010 Prius to tackle the problem of...smog?

Remember when electric cars and hybrids would lead the attack against greenhouse gas emissions and so save us from global warming?

Seems almost like yesterday, doesn't it?

Today, the story is different.  Nary a word about warming or ecological catastrophe.  Instead, the enemy is smog.  Good ol' smog.

Why is the CRTC abandoning the fee-for-carriage problem to market forces? (Maybe I should just shut up and be happy)

A while back, there was a remarkable story about how the chairman of the CRTC, Konrad von Finckenstein, told broadcasters CTV and Canwest that if they want fee-for-carriage, they ought to just negotiate with the cable and satellite companies.  If the broadcasters got what they wanted, great.  If not, the broadcasters could just withdraw their content from transmission.

What the...?

Pay me, or I keep my stuff.  Isn't that the free market?  What is von Finckenstein playing at?

Does the poll hint at an opportunity about to be squandered by the Liberals?

I don't usually remark about polls.  Why?  Because I hate looking like a fool.  One day I curse polling as voodoo, then the next day I love polls for their remarkable insight into the mind of the voter, all based on whether I like the poll results, personally.

Still, the latest Ipson-Reid poll is interesting because even though it is the first poll that puts the Conservatives ahead, one some broader points, it agrees with all the rest of the polls that have been taken recently, and they all point to a difficult decision for the Liberals.

Dishonest Signalling: Is Michael Ignatieff the fiddler crab of Canadian politics?

It's always dangerous to draw too many parallels between humans and animal behaviour.  Humans make decisions based on complex tactical and strategic considerations with an eye to the costs and benefits over time.  Animals do to, to a point, but it is essentially instinctual and so is nearly as flexible.

But heck, I'm going to do it anyway.  Michael Ignatieff has been acting tough, threatening to "mess" with Stephen Harper if the Conservatives don't back off. 

When Michael Ignatieff threatens, I can't help but think of a fiddler crab.

Ruby Dhalla signs up sufficient donors; tough break for the Liberals

Liberal MP Ruby Dhalla has succeeded in signing up sufficient Liberal Party donors to secure her candidacy for the riding of Brampton-Springdale.

I bet the Liberal Party leadership is looking at all that money the will be coming in, and cursing their bad luck.

Ruby Dhalla: Who exactly went to get the Aurora Villanueva signature?

Liberal MP Ruby Dhalla seems to have dug her hole even deeper.  Facing allegations of mistreating illegally hired in-home caregivers, Ruby Dhalla is now alleged to have tricked an elderly woman seen as a leader of the Filipino community into signing a letter of support.

That woman is now forcefully withdrawing that support.

There is an important question that I haven't heard asked yet.  Who knew what Ruby Dhalla was doing?

Ruby Dhalla: Magdalene Gordo and Richelyn Tongson focus on the paperwork

In the case of allegations of mistreatment by Liberal MP Ruby Dhalla of two live-in caregivers and one housekeeper, the two sides have been taking turns going after the credibility of the other.

The latest salvo comes from the lawyer for the two caregivers, Magdalene Gordo and Richelyn Tongson.  The focus seems to be on the paperwork that allowed them to be hired. 

The attack ads are brilliant

There, I said it.  I'm swimming against the tide here, I know, but after the steady drumbeat of criticism aimed at the attack ads rolled out by the Conservatives targeting Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff, I figured someone had to point out that the ads are not insulting or demeaning or bad.

They're brilliant, and they perfectly frame everything that is wrong about Michael Ignatieff, everything that the media seems all too happy to ignore.

Stephen Harper: A decent, sincere and caring man, or so says another decent, sincere, and caring man

Rabbi Mendel Kaplan takes issue with Garth Turner in particular, and the media in general, in depicting Prime Minister Stephen Harper as cold and arrogant.

For the sake of balance, I think it would be useful to consider Rabbi Kaplan's view, if just for a moment.

Hypocritical Liberal criticizes parachuted politicians except his own

Can a politician just waltz into a community and expect people to ignore that this person is essentially a stranger when casting votes?

It's a complex question.  The key factor seem to be whether the person attempting to answer the question is a Liberal, and who the politician is. 

Hypocrisy abounds.

Why not ask the current live-in caregiver at the Dhalla household how conditions are?

It seems so obvious.  With the allegations and counter-allegations swirling around Ruby Dhalla and the question of how three live-in caregivers were treated, the simplest way to cut through the confusion is to ask the current live-in caregiver how she is being treated.

Michael Ignatieff flip-flops on June election threat

Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff has flip-flopped...again...

I know, it's gone past predictable.  It's reached the point of inevitability.

What is this this time?  Well, apparently we misinterpreted his threat to have a June election as a threat to have a June election.

Monthly payments to Mary Richelyn Tongson seemed spot on

Liberal MP Ruby Dhalla is fighting allegations of mistreatment of three former live-in caregivers.  One of the questions is whether they were underpaid.

Both the testimony of the caregivers and the paperwork published in the media indicate that the correct wages were paid for a 40-hour work week.

The real issue is not the money, but the hours worked.

Michael Ignatieff undermines Ruby Dhalla defense

It was either a slip of a tongue or an inadvertently revealing statement based on knowledge that he has but we don't, but either way, Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff needs to answer a very simple question.

Why did he say Ruby Dhalla employed the live-in caregivers that have alleged mistreatment, and that Ruby Dhalla denies ever hiring?

Ruby Dhalla: Is Michael Ignatieff capable of giving a straight answer to any question?

Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff is asked a simple question.  Does he support his fellow MP, Liberal Ruby Dhalla, who is facing allegations of mistreating nannies employed by her family?

Michael Ignatieff gives a firm yes.  And then says no.   And then a maybe.

STV dies in BC: Good news for Canada

The bizarre Single Transferable Vote system has been rejected decisively by voters in British Columbia.  That's great news.

Coalition Games: Michael Ignatieff, the liar?

To accuse someone of being a liar is not a step lightly taken.  But Michael Ignatieff's irreconcilable statements concerning what he said of the coalition and what he thought of the coalition leave little wriggle room.

Who concocted the Ruby Dhalla conspiracy?

Liberal MP Ruby Dhalla is the victim of a shadowy conspiracy to sully her good name and ultimately destroy her political career.

The obvious question: Who is behind the conspiracy?

The real question: Who is behind the conspiracy theory?

Walking through the Dhalla handwriting

The Toronto Star published several original documents related to the Ruby Dhalla nanny affair.  I decided to walk thorugh the handwritten samples.  Nothing too surprising, but I figured I would published what I found out in case someone else sees something I don't.

Ruby Dhalla news conference? [Confirmed]

CityTV News is reporting that Ruby Dhalla is going to give a news conference today.

Ruby Dhalla is named as the employer from Hell by third foreign worker

Liberal MP Ruby Dhalla is having a lousy day.  Two former live-in caregivers have accused Ruby Dhalla of mistreatment.  They both maintain that Ruby Dhalla was involved in how they were treated, while part of Ruby Dhalla's defence has been that she spent much of her time in Ottawa, and that her bother Neil Dhalla managed the help.

A third foreign worker has come forward, and again, the finger is pointed directly at Ruby Dhalla, alleging that Ruby personally was involved in this sordid affair.

Clever Ruby Dhalla and her fake investigation

Liberal MP Ruby Dhalla is in big trouble.  Allegations of mistreatment of illegally hired live-in caregivers in her home have forced her to resign her post as Youth and Multiculturalism Critic, and has two Ontario cabinet ministers under fire.

In an attempt to get ahead of this, Ruby Dhalla wants the ethics commissioner to investigate the matter.  She hopes the ethics commissioner, Mary Dawson, will clear her name.

There's a fair chance that would happen, because the ethics commissioner's job is to deal with conflicts of interest.  There was no conflict of interest here.  So don't be fooled.

Ruby Dhalla creating even more headaches for Michael Ignatieff

If the nanny scandal that has engulfed Liberal MP Ruby Dhalla continues to grow, it could have serious implications at the federal level, providing a new means by which the timing of the next election could be manipulated by the different parties.

Michael Ignatieff is not standing by Ruby Dhalla

Liberal MP Ruby Dhalla has resigned from her post Youth and Multiculturalism Critic.

That's just about sums up everything Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff has to say on the matter.

The inside story on Garth Turner's non-appearance on The Michael Coren Show

Garth Turner, former Liberal MP for Halton, was supposed to appear on The Michael Coren Show.  He did not show up for the taping, and gave no advance notice, leaving CTS scrambling.  The appearance would have focused on Sheeple, Garth Turner's new book.  People at Key Porter Books, the publisher, were unable to explain what was happening.

So I asked around, and the details of the day's events are revealing.

Ruby Dhalla and strange letters

Liberal MP Ruby Dhalla is in the middle of a potentially career-ending crisis.  Allegations have been raised by two ex-nannies about abuse and mistreatment by members of the Dhalla household, including Ruby Dhalla.  Some elements of the allegations have been support by others, though nothing definitive has been established.  Ruby Dhalla is vigorously denying the allegations, speaking through a lawyer.

That lawyer has provided letters written by one of the nannies to refute part of the allegation concerning Ruby Dhalla withholding a passport and other documents.  I'm not sure these letters really help.

Ruby Dhalla: Nanny horror stories

Allegations of illegal hiring, of mistreatment, and of what essentially sounds like extortion?

Liberal MP Ruby Dhalla is facing some of the most serious allegations I've ever heard aimed at a sitting MP, of any party.

And like all allegations aimed at politicians, the truth of them (which have not been established in this case) matters less than the political impact.  In this case, unless Ruby Dhalla can deal with allegations quickly, this will become a test for new Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff.

Michael Ignatieff and his (mythical) learning society

Michael Ignatieff has finally won the Liberal Party leadership campaign!

Ok, that's not saying much, but technically, it's true.

With his win, Michael Ignatieff is starting to chart his vision for Canada.  He wants to transform Canada into something called a "learning society".

What the heck is that?

Read on and...well...learn.

Revisionism, courtesy of Michael Ignatieff

Michael Ignatieff provides us with an alternate account of how he came to be Liberal Party leader without having to actual campaign for it.  See, it was all just an accident.

Angry in the Great White North by Steve Janke is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Canada License. Based on a work at stevejanke.com.