Adam Goldenberg, a Vancouverite who is Michael Ignatieff's speechwriter, blogs about the launch of Liberal leader's 20/11 tour:
After kicking things off on Parliament Hill — in Scott Bradley’s riding of Ottawa Centre — Michael Ignatieff will head to the Carlingwood Family Restaurant for a rally with the next Member of Parliament for Ottawa West–Nepean, Anita Vandenbeld.
The riding of Ottawa Centre is, for the moment, represented by the NDP. Ottawa West–Nepean, meanwhile, is the temporary stomping ground of Stephen Harper’s salvo-swatting, spittle-spewing spokesman, John “You Won’t Like Me When I’m Angry. Which Is Always” Baird. Liberals were within spitting distance of winning both ridings in the last election, and we’ve got exceptional, hard-working candidates in Scott and Anita. Ottawa will be Grit after the next writ. Just watch us.
At today’s press conference, you can expect Michael Ignatieff to point out that it has been five years since Stephen Harper and his Conservatives took power. Throughout the 20/11 tour, we’ll be asking Canadians a simple question: Are we better off than we were five years ago? (Don’t take it from me, but Michael Ignatieff might just have an answer to that question.)
Later today, Michael Ignatieff will head west to Vancouver, home of the number one team in the NHL. From there, he’ll fly to Winnipeg, then Ontario, then Atlantic Canada, then Québec, before returning to Ottawa with the entire Liberal team in tow for a landmark National Caucus meeting.
It’s a whirlwind tour at a whirlwind time in Canadian politics, and we’ll have all the action right here on www.liberal.ca.
Let’s get this Party started, shall we?
Right on cue, the Conservative Alert-Info-Alert bot leapt into action. The memo sent out to all Conservative MPs and Senators reads:
Ignatieff launches pre-election tour
In the clearest indication yet that he has his sights set on forcing a needless election that will distract our national efforts from creating jobs and sustaining our fragile economic recovery, Michael Ignatieff—fully rested after a three week vacation—started his New Year by launching a national political tour. The message of this tour according to an unnamed strategist is that “you have to vote Liberal” and targets ridings he believes he can pick up from other parties (Canadian Press, January 9, 2011).
It’s no surprise that Ignatieff’s focus for 2011 is on an election. Clearly trying to lay the public relations ground-work, he admitted as much in his year end interviews before Christmas: “We are ready for an election, and we think Canadians are ready for an election.” (Canadian Press, December 16, 2010).
We, again, restate our commitment to not provoke an election that is unnecessary at this time. With economic recovery in sight, the last thing we need is the disruption of a needless election or the uncertainty reckless Coalition.
As Ignatieff travels Canada calling for an unnecessary election our Government will keep its focus on jobs and growth as we work towards a budget that will keep our fragile economic recovery on track while bringing the budget back to balance by 2015/2016.
Meanwhile, NDP wags are dismissing the 11-day tour as “Mission Impossible 2011.”