Modeling Journey

Canadians today had a chance to see what kind of man their future prime minister, Michael Ignatieff, is. He tabled a motion of no confidence in the Harper Tory government, and delivered a devastating indictment of the faults of that government which have led the Liberal Party to lose confidence and trust in the PM and his ministers.

In doing this, Ignatieff masterfully used the twin themes of incompetence and untrustworthiness in framing the issue.

He gave facts. He explained why he had finally decided – after propping up the Tories time after time – that the Liberals would no longer do so. He explained why Canadians have no trust in Harper, and in his government.

This was a very good example of how to frame an issue. The crucial test for the Liberals is to follow through on this fine beginning. They need to revert each and every time – I repeat – each and every time they criticize the government the twin themes of the framing: the incompetence in governance of the Tories and their untrustworthiness. If the Liberals do this repeatedly, these twin elephants will be the ones defining the next election, which is coming soon. Layton will only support the Tories so much before he faces a revolt in his ranks.

Take this, for example:

"The Conservative government has shown "a terrible record of failure and someone must stand up in this House and call it for what it is," he said."

Exactly. This changes the dynamics of the present parliament. No longer will the Liberals allow the Tories to get away with lies, half-truths, misstatements and plain avoidance. Ignatieff today called Harper on his behaviour, and this will stick.

And this:

"Ignatieff said his party no longer trusts the Conservative government.

"So the issue for us is just basic trust with what this government is saying to us. We're tired of this kind of game-playing. We wanted real accountability. We wanted a government that tells Canadians the truth. We've had enough," Ignatieff said when he filed the notice of motion on Monday.

He told the House on Thursday that the government has lost control of public finances, has no real plan for Canada's economic recovery and must be held accountable."

And then he delivered a game-changing challenge to the basic distorted ideology of the Tory government, identifying it for what it has been, is and always will be: a government that does not believe in government:

""This is a government that uses every opportunity to treat its adversaries as enemies, every opportunity to sow division for partisan gains and every opportunity to use public money to spread untruths," Ignatieff said in the Commons.

On issues such as the economy, climate change, swelling unemployment and Canada's position on the world stage, the government has failed Canadians, he said.

"The Conservatives have lost control of the public finances," Ignatieff said, citing a growing deficit he said could reach $60 billion by Christmas.

"All Canadians must understand that this deficit is going to hang around the necks of Canadians like a stone," he said.

He rattled off a list of complaints, charging that the government is more concerned with promoting its own image than getting Canadians to work or protecting them against the H1N1 flu pandemic.

He wrapped up his speech warning that the Conservatives have a "starve-the-beast ideology" to permanently weaken the institutions of the federal government. That risks changing Canada "beyond recognition," he said.

"If this ideology prevails in this country it will permanently weaken the tissues that bind our society together," Ignatieff said.

"This is an unworthy way to govern this country, and we stand against it," he told the House of Commons."

Mark these words. They are the death knell of this incompetent, untrustworthy government, the tolling of the proverbial bell.

Well done, Michael Ignatieff!