Iggy's Great Canadian Oilsands Tour hit Alberta again last week.
He said soothing things like: "here in the west is where the destiny of our country's economy will be played out."
Or better still, telling the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce: "the oilsands are an integral part of the future of Canada."
That's Iggy the political guy from Toronto. Not Iggy the hockey guy from St. Albert and Calgary. And there's a lot more where that came from when Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff takes to the podium these days.
He talks about reserves in the oilsands being a "huge Alberta advantage and a huge Canadian advantage."
(I guess he hasn't heard about the Alberta PCs' $25-million rebranding yet.)
Unlike other eastern Liberals, he has a humble side.
"In the past our party has fallen prey to the temptation to run against the West," he spat - applying the triple whammy to Pierre Trudeau, Jean Chretien and Stephane Dion, who all considered Alberta-bashing part of their political DNA.
They cynically tried to portray our hydrocarbon economy as Public Enemy No. 1.
"I realize how hard it will be to regain the trust and confidence of Westerners," Ignatieff sighed - the results of the last election where the Libs were all but shut out in the west being the proof.
Whether a few stump speeches and a half-hearted apology will turn the tide is doubtful. Actions speak louder than words and the Ottawa Liberals have done or threatened enough nasty things over the years to lose the trust factor with large numbers of Albertans.
Ignatieff seemed to be doing a better job at defending the province's economic interests than even Premier Ed Stelmach at times.
3 comments:
Is there a quote ANYWHERE of Stephane Dion bashing Alberta?
That sounds like a LIE to me. Stephane Dion always said his policies would be in Alberta's best long term interests, he NEVER bashed them. Why would Iggy say such a thing?
I bet NO ONE can find a single quote of Dion bashing Alberta, not one. It's really disappointing if Iggy actually said that - he wouldn't be leader right now if Dion hadn't graciously stepped down early.
'Why would Iggy say such a thing?'
Iffy also campaigned for Lib leader in BC, in 2006, on a carbon tax, Dion did not.
Now he blames the carbon tax idea on Dion, when he himself fathered it, and likely persuaded Dion to run on it.
What a guy, eh?
Alberta Rules!
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