Angry in the Great White North

Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff's Liberal Express bus tour continues to veer this way and that in a desperate bid, it seems, to hit every possible speed bump it can.

This weekend, the bump comes in the form of Liberal candidate Bill Prout:

Ignatieff tried to distance himself from Bill Prout, his candidate in Caledon, Ont. Prout, earlier this year, said: "I abhor the fact that Canadians have been involved with torture to get information from prisoners."

The fact that Canadians have been involved in torture.  Not the possibility.  Not the suspicion.

The fact.

Of course, Michael Ignatieff can't be associated with this, but his denial is right off:

On Saturday, Ignatieff said, "No member of the Liberal Party believes that Canadian soldiers have been directly involved in torture. That's not the issue. No one has ever said or will ever say in this party that Canadian soldiers were involved in torture."

Well, it's too late to say that, isn't it.  Bill Prout already said it.  Just say Prout was wrong.  Or that Prout has re-evaluated his position.  Whatever.

But Michael Ignatieff is telling an untruth when he says no Liberal "has ever said" what Bill Prout, a member of the Liberal Party, is on record as saying.

What sort of environmentalist is Bill Prout?  So who is Bill Prout, the member of the Liberal Party who is on record as saying it is a fact that Canadians were involved in torture:

Alton businessman Bill Prout will be the Liberal candidate in the next federal election in Dufferin - Caledon, after being acclaimed at a riding association meeting in Mono Mills Saturday.

As befits a proprietor of a solar power distribution business, EnerControl, the 62- year-old Prout said he would make alternative energy and pivotal part of his personal platform and will press for its implementation at the federal level.

Speaking to the Dufferin - Caledon Federal Liberal Association (DCFLA) at the Victoria Park Community Centre, he said, "my business is renewable energy. I will be placing a large emphasis on our environment and on Liberal environmental policies."

Environmental this.  Environmental that.  Been there, seen that.  One thing I've never seen, though, is an alleged environmentalist misspelling Suzuki on a company website:

David Susuki at The University of Toronto in May 2009 helping promote the "Green Energy Act" which we have promoted, as well as keeping in touch with all aspects of the renewable energy industry to bring you the most up to date information.

Bill Prout's EnerControl has been in business for five years.  I wonder if his "environmentalism" has equally shallow roots.