Liberal leader, Michael Ignatieff is stepping down after the party experienced its worst showing in history. The liberals now hold only 34 seats in the house of common, they used to hold 77. Ignatieff lost his own riding this year in the Etobicoke-Lakeshore area. He told a news conference he "will arrange succession in due time." He told the media he asked Ralph Goodale to call a caucus meeting next Wednesday. He feels his party can have a strong come back. Ignatieff feels the merger of the NDP and the Liberal party is not applicable because of the difference in party views. When asked about the comeback, he said "People ask whether the Liberal Party has a future. I think the surest guarantee of the future for the Liberal Party of Canada is four years of Conservative government and four years of NDP opposition." It was very difficult for him to bounce back after the negative advertising the Conservatives did about him. He feels the conservative party really set personal attacks against him but he says he will go out of politics with his head held high. The people who met him apparently really took to him but he feels he didn't reach out to enough citizens.
When asked what he intends on doing, he was quoted saying "What I would like to do is go back and teach young Canadians, I am a teacher born and bred, and I am looking — really looking — forward to teaching. No offers yet and no reasonable offers refused. But that is where I will go."
Next Wednesday the party will choose an interim leader and then will go through the process of electing a new official leader. The party may choose a new leader as soon as this fall. Leblanc, New Brunswick MP, who dropped out to support Ignatieff is not ruling out a run for leader. He feels his ability to speak french and not be from Quebec can really help.
In Ontario, they have traditionally been a very strong province for liberals. This election they only captured 12 riding in Ontario. The also lost some very key MP's. People such as Kennedy and Dryden lost their riding after the conservatives capitalized on the liberal mistakes.
Ignatieff was elected for the first ever time in 2006, he became the party's leader in 2009 after Stephane Dion resigned. He had a successful career in academics, teaching at some very prestigious schools such as University of Toronto and was a professor at Harvard for 5 years.
After going through this election, I think it was the right move for Ignatieff to step down as the Liberal Party Leader. I feel as if he doesn't quite meet the requirements to lead the Liberal party. He is not demanding enough to be a leader. He is very articulate but is not a strong enough individual to gain the confidence of the Canadian citizens. I think if the right leader is chosen, the Liberal party will once again rise to the top because of their strong party platform.
1 comment:
I strongly agree with Rory in saying that he feels it was the correct choice for Michael Ignatieff to step down as the Liberal Party Leader. After going through the worst election in the Party history, they now only have 33 seats, when they had 77 previously. The Conservative Party sure did have some excellent commercials bashing Ignatieff and in reality, that is what politics is all about. I feel the same way with Rory when he says that Ignatieff doesn't meet the ideal Liberal Party Leader.
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