February 8, 2012

Has Iggy lost his pop?

Can Michael Ignatieff ever lead the Liberals to power?

With the Liberals still trailing the Conservatives by a wide margin and Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff struggling to connect with voters, what does Iggy need to do to save himself from Stéphane Dion’s fate and restore party faith?

John Ivison

Political columnist, National Post

Mr. Ignatieff needs to discover the virtue of patience. The prize may yet come to him if he waits until the Conservatives stop spending money and have to start making cuts to public services to balance the books. In the meantime, he needs to build a coalition of support by offering compelling policies that appeal to people at an emotional level. Finally, he needs to start connecting with real people. At the moment, when he hears the “William Tell Overture,” he thinks of Rossini — everyone else thinks of the Lone Ranger!

Peter C. Newman

Author, forthcoming Ignatieff bio

Michael Ignatieff ’s main problem is to define himself in relation to Stephen Harper. That shouldn’t be too hard, since I can’t think of two more different politicians. His next step has to be a detailed and inspiring election platform — being written at a time Canada has the highest deficit in its history, which doesn’t allow much wiggle room. Finally, he has to demonstrate his strength of character, which he possesses but has so far not used to his advantage.

Karen von Hahn

Toronto style columnist

Ignatieff is a world-class intellectual who also happens to be dashingly handsome. He should immediately stop going to Stephen Harper’s barber and grow his hair longer, with a heavier bang in front to emphasize his piercing gaze. His suits should be dark and narrower of cut, which would play up his height and slim, youthful silhouette. He should stick to blues and brights and stay away from browns and olives, which wash him out. If he exaggerated his strengths, rather than tried to come off as Everyman, he could be the next Pierre Elliott Trudeau or Obama, instead of coming off like a second-rate Harper.

Conrad Black

Former head, Hollinger International Inc.

I think Michael Ignatieff has been generally correct on policy matters and that his only mistakes have been tactical. I assume these will stop with the staff changes he has made; certainly Harper has no shortage of competent Liberal political pros to advise him. — via e-mail from Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Florida

 

This article appears in the January 2010 issue of Post City Magazines

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