As the first week of the new Parliamentary session closes, it’s clear that one of the NDP strategies is to keep hammering at the Liberals. Several queries in Question Period by NDP MPs began with an attack on the previous Liberal government before the MP put the question to the Conservative minister in question.
And, as the Liberal leadership campaign gets underway, the NDP is already sniping at the sidelines at one of the leading candidates. I reproduce this press release (not yet online) from the NDP in full (although the links and the formatting are mine):
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IGNATIEFF BID HIGLIGHTS “HARPER LIBERALS”
At his campaign launch for the Liberal leadership today, Michael Ignatieff reached out to progressive voters by surrounding himself with Liberals who have fought against the extension of human rights.
Following a speech that included the sentiment “Politics, my dear friends, is about unchaining hope,” Ignatieff gave a special “shout out” to four Liberal MPs who attended his launch in Toronto:
“Above all, you can't be credible as a candidate unless you have the support of your colleagues in the great liberal caucus: Paul Szabo, Roger Cuzner, Paul Zed, John McKay, thank you so much for being here today.”
– Ignatieff, CTV Newsnet, 7 April 2006 [Ignatieff arrives on stage at 3:53 of that video link – Akin]
LIBERAL RECORD: On 28 June 2005, 32 Liberal MPs voted against extending marriage equality to all Canadians, including Paul Szabo, Roger Cuzner, Paul Zed and John McKay.
LIBERAL RECORD: Of those 32 Liberal MPs who voted with the Conservatives on equality, 26 were reelected in the January election, including Paul Szabo, Roger Cuzner, Paul Zed and John McKay.
With Ignatieff's bid, Liberals have a candidate who called for military intervention in Iraq and whose caucus support comes from Liberal MPs who voted against same-sex marriage. Explain that to progressive Canadians.
That's on their record.