New inner circle surrounds Michael Ignatieff

Liberal strategist Rob Silver says the changes are exciting and were needed within the party and former PMO Director of Communications Kory Teneycke says when you can't change the leader, then you change the staff.

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Liberal Leader Micheal Ignatieff speaks during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ont., on Tuesday Nov. 17, 2009. (Sean Kilpatrick / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

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I hope a new broom sweeps clean. I hope that the inactivity and the seeming lack of charisma on the part of the top leader will be cured right away. The Liberal party needs something and I am not sure what. It is lacking something seriously. I hope Iggy is really the lesser of all evils. I hope it is not too late to save a sinking ship.

firstMickey

New inner circle surrounds Michael Ignatieff

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New inner circle surrounds Michael Ignatieff

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CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Tue. Nov. 17 2009 9:38 PM ET

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff has a new group of senior advisers surrounding him, following a massive shuffling of the deck by his new chief of staff.

On his first official day on the job as Ignatieff's new chief of staff, Peter Donolo announced a new senior staff lineup that came into effect on Tuesday.

In a message to his Liberal colleagues, Donolo explained that the incoming staff was experienced and the core of a "disciplined and determined team."

"This is a very seasoned group of proven individuals with a wide breadth of experience in politics and the wider public sphere," Donolo said.

With Ignatieff and the Liberals languishing in public opinion polls, analysts say the drastic change of staff was both predictable and needed.

"There needed to be some changes and people recognized that," Liberal strategist Rob Silver told CTV News Channel's Power Play.

"It's too soon to tell but something needed to change," Kory Teneycke, former director of communication for Prime Minister Stephen Harper, added. "You can't change the leader, but you can change the staff."

Mario Lague will be Ignatieff's communications director, the same job he performed for Paul Martin when he was prime minister. He is also a former diplomat and senior bureaucrat.

Patricia Sorbara, the Liberal leader's new chief operating officer, is a longtime organizer and a former senior adviser to David Peterson when he was premier of Ontario.

Brian Bohunicky becomes Ignatieff's senior policy adviser and he will be in charge of the Liberal caucus research bureau. A Rhodes Scholar, Bohunicky previously worked for two ministers in Jean Chretien's Liberal government.

Longtime Liberal organizer Heather Chiasson will serve as Ignatieff's liaison within the party. Chiasson has been working for the national wing of the Liberal party, in one capacity or another, since 1992.

Several other advisers have had their roles switched by Donolo.

Jean Marc Fournier, a former Quebec cabinet minister, is now Ignatieff's principal secretary. He was previously advising the Liberal leader on the province.

Ignatieff's legislative assistant, Jim Pimblett, now becomes his executive assistant. Before working with Ignatieff, Pimblett worked for Paul Martin and for Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty when he was leader of the Opposition.

Sachin Aggarwal will be the director of operations for the Liberal leader. Aggarwal managed both of Ignatieff's campaigns for Parliament in the 2006 and 2008 elections.

Jeremy Broadhurst becomes Ignatieff's director of legislative affairs. He previously served as senior policy adviser under Ignatieff, as well as Liberal leaders Bill Graham and Stephane Dion.

Former Liberal MP Karen Redman will be the caucus liaison for Ignatieff. She was an elected MP for the Ontario riding of Kitchener Centre from 1997 to 2008.

Donolo took over the role of Ignatieff's chief of staff from longtime supporter Ian Davey, who was fired several weeks ago. Other top aides followed Davey's departure.

Many Liberals blamed the party's poor fortunes in recent months on the inexperienced staff who had been advising Ignatieff.

With files from The Canadian Press

Comments are now closed for this story

EmmyPankhurst
said
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Too little, too late.

said
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Good Luck Igster, why didn't you bring in some people from Great Britain and ths U.S.A.?? people you might be able to relate to !!!

redbike
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Great; every tired old window display needs a makeover from time to time. Now if only the "goods" the Libs were selling were also updated we might be getting somewhere...

B. Kelley, Ontario
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Everything old is new again. The Liberals' problem is that the PC's arrived in the 2000''s about 9 years ago while they're trying to return to the glory years of the 70's and 80's. Chretien has left the building and what worked for him will not work in today's world. People want leaders who take stands and move ahead through decisive action. The Trudeauesque and Chretieneze eras of high sounding political rhetoric without any substance behind it are over and done. Iggy will fail if he doesn't see that.

JSL
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keep pluggin' them holes when you've already hit the iceberg.so this is what we have to look forward too under Lib leadership. just like the last time they were in power...a gong show. they spent more time in court than running the country.

Doug, Medicine Hat
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Just like the Liberals bubble has burst, so in the time will the cons. Wondering where the cons. would be if they had not joined forces with the Alliance.

firstMickey
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stuart
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Teneycke and Silver are an odd couple...kinda mismatched. Silver is reasonable. Teneycke hasn't realized that he is no longer working for the PMO's office. It's the video matched to the story, so that is why I responding to those two.

Oscar01
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Please Libs, Let Iggy play this out.He is the best chance at a Conservative Majority.It was sad for me to see Dion go, as I thought he was the best chance for a Conservative Majority, But Iggy is proving me wrong. Please Iggy keeep up the good work.

Sam C
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"Many Liberals blamed the party's poor fortunes in recent months on the inexperienced staff who had been advising Ignatieff."Uh, yeah. Ignatief doesn't shoulder any of the blame himself, huh? Funny, that.

simon
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QUOTE In a message to his Liberal colleagues, Donolo explained that the incoming staff was experienced and the core of a "disciplined and determined team.""This is a very seasoned group of proven individuals with a wide breadth of experience in politics and the wider public sphere," Donolo said. UNQUOTEThese few words have shaken the living day lights out of the Conservatives, judging by the past comments written in states of PANIC !!!!!I'm Loving it !!!!

charlie
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Reading the article for the third time, I must admit that Mr. I is bringing in a group with interesting backgrounds. Their previous experience in working with/for the very popular McGuinty in Ontario and the even more popular Campbell in BC can only help out the party nationally. Talk about baggage, er credentials - what could possibly go wrong, go wrong, go wrong, go wrong........

Prof. Pye Chartt
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Mr. Ignatieff is little more than an annoying, nagging backseat driver. Nobody wants him to drive, because he's never demonstrated the capability. Nobody trusts where he'd go anyway, because he's never spoken any directional specifics; just critical whining and jabber. Be quiet, and just listen to the audio system, Iggy!

Kevin In Vancouver
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As usual we have a polarized blog going on here.However noone has mentioned what is obviously the most serious ramification of the recent shake up in the liberal inner circle. It's the leaders flawed decision making that is being made blatently clear. Iggy picked his inner circle and now the party gurus are moving in to repair the damage. The message is this yes Iggy you are the leader but we will have to let the old boys make all the decisions because everytime you do you hurt yourself.

Rob
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And a hundred years later they will say we are sorry.

A sporting comparison !
said
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The Liberal Party of Canada and the Toronto Maple Leafs have the same thing in common.. they both are living in the past and both are losers !

Brandon M
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What a Lame Duck this guy is!

Bradford, James
said
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@ Colin... get your head out of the sand, Canadians have already decided they don't like your Iggytaff... not now, and not in the future. What about NO do Liberals not seem to understand?

Let us pray...
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Hail Chretien... full of pomp... Iggnatief staff is apart from thee... blessed art thou among politicians who got away with murder ... and blessed isn't the fruit of thy spin doctors...Donolo and Kinsella... Hallowed be thy Liberals.... full of entitlements... pray for their souls and their friends...now and at the hour of their ultimate demise ...Amen.

MARG MM
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Desparate Liberal times, call for desperate measures, however, bringing back the "old guard" will not likely help, as Canadians haven't forgotten that era.Most Canadians seem to think that one of the Liberals problems is the leader himself. Until such time that he is replaced, and they start to rebuild, they will likely remain in opposition for some time.

No Vision No Future
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A very seasoned group, which is Liberalese for same old same old, recycled, rearview, no vision no future.

Vince Em
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Ivan says "Ah, the Conservative minion 'agree with anything anti-Iggy' clickers are out in full force today. How else do you explain a story that within a few minutes has such skewed agree/disagree ratios?" Maybe that many reasonably intelligent readers are drawn to give Iggy bad clicks in a few minutes. Ain't that scarey (if you are a Liberal)!

Vince Em.
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Who cares. He's finished.

JTT
said
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Now that that is all settled, on to the tough task of finding hot issues to pretend to be passionate about.

geebee
said
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A group of hasbeens insulate and block for a quarterback that can't even read the playbook. It will make for reasonably good entertainment.

Vickie
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Instead of shuffling; Iggy needed to find a new deck.Old habits die hard, old politicians harder.Time to bring in some fresh faces, fresh ideas and a more modern approach to running Canada.

Cambob
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But, can he sing and dance?

donmor
said
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We had the old boys and got ride of them. Now they are back thanks to Jean Chretien. Well, he did the most harm to the Liberals and now more harm will be done. We are not going to elect Peter Donolo either so Liberals might as well go back to the drawing board. I was Liberal once but not now and not again until they get their act together and come up with a whole new slate with someone at the top that I can trust. Sorry, that does not mean the likes of Justin who wants to ride on his fathers coat tails.

Colin:firewall hater in the culture of defeat zone
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So many Tory commentators here are so full of hate. Michael Ignatieff is a good person who spent many years in academia both in and out of Canada making a contribution to our land and others through his discussions of human rights and nationalism.He has been the author of solid books on global issues. He is respected worldwide yet villified by a Tory party that has resorted to the poltics of character assassination because they have no vision for the country that they can be proud to espouse.Iggy has never spoken of putting up firewalls around one province to protect it from the others. He's never said any one area has a culture of defeat. Which leader has? Our current leader, a "proud" Canadian.Wait until the two men debate in the inevitable election. Mr. Harper will have to win a abttle of ideas, not name-calling and animated birds crapping on his foes. Then, Canadians will decide.

KW, Alberta
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Why when I read this story, do I hear small strains of "Nearer My God To Thee" coming from Liberal headquarters?

Andrea in Ottawa
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It does not surprise me that some old faces are back in the picture with the party. Harper did the same thing in opposition.He had some older faces come back as well.Personally, what really matters is the policies that are brought forward, and if Canadians except them or not.With 2, 3 other parties on top of the bigger parties to vote for , it is difficult for any party to get a Straight Aced majority govt.

Rob NS
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To Peter Liberal,How can you say that liberal goverment was the best party in the world...I know hind sight is 20 20..but in this case we are lucky enough to be able to use our hindsight.These guys ripped us off!! I was liberal at the time, happy go lucky...but after all the scandals and missing billions...I changed my party....maybe you should look at the crooks you are praising. As Bush quotes, fool me once shame on you, fool me me again, and you Liberals continued to be fooled again... right cousin Iggy ;)

Gord
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Back to the quiet elitist ivory towers of Harvard Mikey, you carpetbagger. It seems the real world is too much for you.

What the liberals need to do is put forth a leader who has lived in Canada all of his life and is committed to Canada's prosperous future. And no more academics please.

Inkmont
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Re John from Saskatoon's comment: "Shuffling a deck full of jokers still gives you a hand full of jokers."LOL! Sometimes I wish I could vote thumbs up a hundred times!

Alysha Ont
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To Jay Henryk...And why are we in such a deficit position now? It's because the Liberals and NDP's demanded very large stimulus funding on top of other demands or they would topple the gov't. Their way out was to spend, spend, spend and THAT is why the large deficit. And as for Mr Martin balancing the budgets, of course anyone can balance the books when you steal billions from the Employment Insurance fund which has never been paid back. That is called 'fudging the books'!

rose
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O no Mr flip flop again

Andre
said
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Lipstick on a pig?

Tony
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This does not change a thing. You still have the same person making bad decisions, only different people cheering his stupid ideas.

charlie
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Welcome aboard, Mr. Ignatieff. We have made the crew changes as you instructed. Please have a pleasant voyage on the RMS Titanic.

Andy Klymax
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These people are behind the scenes people who focus on strategy, not governing. Many of them seem to be very experienced at this and will be strong assets to the Liberal Party. What I wish would happen though is for all those ignorant commentators to educate themselves with how political science actually works, and indeed the entire Canadian system of federalism and government. Please educate yourselves before making an embarassing and completely inaccurate statement.

cat
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How about changing up Ignatieff while they are at it.He is a very unpopular guy - the only ones who wanted him [and still do I daresay] were the political 'masterminds' on the 'inside' who manipulated his Coup to Leader in the first place. I was a Liberal, and the way he suddenly appeared out of nowhere was a shock to me - and further investigation about the man, including disparaging and shifting and shifty comments about his own party and members disgusted me. Seemed they'd dredged up a candidate to emulate the Harper sly-guy himself. In words, if not in action - because there is a glaring absence of previous political action on any level. with this fellow.In the REAL world, Canadians see him as at least as far-right as Harper, ideologically, and there is a strange feeling 'absence of any substance or history about him.Look at the Liberal success stories - gritty and real [a la` Chretien]...not Princes anointed.

Richard in Ontario
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I'm sure the next thing on the menu is for the old guard to teach Iggy to lie to get elected and lie to stay in power. It worked so well for Chretien and was passed on successfully to McGuinty in Ontario. I know they'll be under the same impression that Canadian voters are dumb enough to be taken in again. I just hope that there are enough wise enought to keep this lot out of the PM's office.

Tim from Calgary
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Nothing but a shell shuffle designed to look like the Liberals are doing something, but actually are doing nothing. This move doesn't fool me.

bunny N/S
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He can put whomever he wants around him, it's him that needs to go!

Charlie in NS
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I would be lying if I said I cared.

mike campbell
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the fiberals strike again . I think i heard iggi say this is a new lib party! WHAT A JOKE! All they have done is go around in a circle, now they are playing that same old card. the west is evil and you in the east need to be protected. and we have changed we promise not to steal again now we demand to be put back were we belong.

Lz in Edmonton
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Aren't these the guys that came up with the LIBERAL RED Book, and then once in power, pretty much tossed it out the window and went their old way? Just an observation.

Cindy
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Me thinks that no matter how much you shuffle the deck, Ignatieff's standing will not improve. What he needs to do is a complete overhaul of the entire Liberal Party. The old guard still rules and when the leader of the party begins to fall below a certain percentage the knives come out. Get it together Liberals; otherwise the right-winged Conservatives will dominated in future elections.Cynical Cindy

CMQ in NB
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The problem I see is this. Iggy has constantly come out with complaints and finger pointing but no new ideas. We have not heard anything new on policy or a vision of the future. I understand that the opposition is meant to keep the governing party in line but there is more to it than finding flaws. If he really wants to capture our attention then he needs to not only come up with new people, he needs to come up with new ideas, new ideas he actually has a passion for. I see no passion, no drive that is other than to get into power. Canadians are just waiting for someone to come along and lead us. So far Harper has tried to do this whether we agree with him or not he has. I used to be Liberal through and through but can't say I have found much to support. Anyone can critisize someone else, this blog is full of those, should we be the leader of the opposition then? Give us something to believe in then we just might follow because I can stay sitting in my chair and finger point. Maybe we will get up and vote when we see Iggy doing more than the average canadian is capable of! Maybe put down the finger pointing and begin to lead with some new ideas and concepts, then maybe you will see your numbers go up.

len
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Doug @ BCAccusing the liberal party that is to the right of the Conservative party on most issues of swaying to the left is comical.(that would be Joe Clark conservatives not the radical reformers who stole the name).Good grief man read a little history before making such foolish statements!

mike campbell
said
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it proves what i have said from day one, the libs have not changed .they are still tied to old crooked lip and his gang and they still want to play the east against the west ! and this is a goverment for all canadians WHAT A JOKE

Che
said
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The Harper government is "VERY GOOD?" Let us see if he actually pulls (assuming he is still in power) our troops out of Afghanastan in 2011 and then we will talk about the quality and legacy of the current government. I wonder why so many of our brave, committed and dedicated troops are sacrificing their lives for such a corrupt government. In my opinion, it is a conflict that we cannot win.

Jim - North Saanich, BC
said
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It is very difficult, if not impossible, to make a gourmet meal out of stale left-overs and moldy bread and that is essentially what the Liberal Party of Canada is now trying to do. If the best the party can do is to bring back the same hacks/advisors that brought us the Chretien-style of government with its outright corruption and billion dollar boondoggles, they are indeed in a very sorry state and badly need to rebuild the party with something better than left-overs from another era.The Liberals would do far better to clean their slate entirely, send Mr. Ignatieff back to Harvard University where he clearly belongs, and start over by working towards at least becoming an effective opposition which, if they can do well, might then lead to forming the government some time in the future. Right now, they are far from being an effective opposition and I, like many others, do not care to see the reincarnation of another Chretien-style approach to government or anything close to it which I believe is now in the offing. The LPC as a whole badly needs to re-think its objectives and purpose and recycling the same old, same old is not a logical course of action given the track record of the past two decades.

cam
said
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Conservatives will bash whoever is head of the liberal party so their insults are irrelevant.But for those who would like to see a different regime in Ottawa this guy has got to go!He is unacceptable to many within the party because of the undemocratic way he got the job.And others will never cast a vote for a guy who spent the majority of his adult life stateside.If the liberal party doesn't grasp these facts soon they will be in opposition for the next decade.

PMA
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To truly bring forth "new" ideas or "new" policies one needs "new" blood and "new" attitude. An old fishing net does not make good for a new sail. Iggy is truly lost at sea and Chret's old shipmates have an old map to guide him through the perfect economic storm. Hmm...is that an island or an iceberg that cometh his way...best we say our farewells to the Federal Liberals as they continue to believe they are on the right track. As Mark Twain once said, 'Even if you are on the right track, if you just sit there, you will eventually be run over." Something to that effect, my apologies to Mark Twain.

Jack Taylor
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What the Provincial Liberals are doing to the people of Ontario and BC will keep the Federal Liberals where they belong for a long time. The only thing that a Federal Liberal government can guarantee is tax increases like their Provincial cousins..

Michael
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The Liberal Party's image problem isn't those that surround the leader. It is the leader himself. The people of Canada have formed their opinion on Ignatieff, be it informed or not... we don't like him.If the Liberals hope to ever again form a government, they need to shuffle Ignatieff out the door.

Greg in Cambridge
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It's not really him per say...it's just that Liberals these days do not matter and Canadians (real Canadians that is) don't want to return to the devastation that they caused those very long years in power.Long live the Big C Conservatives!

Bob in Winnipeg
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When the inner circle surronds you watch your back. Caesar was surronded by his inner circle and Bob Rae sorry I meant Brutus was one of the first to pull the knife.

Jay Henryk
said
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It escapes me how anyone can say we have good government now. One year ago, this government said that we would not have to go into deficit. We are now approaching $60 billion. And counting. And with no credible plan on how to get back to anything even approaching balance. Surely, none of us believe the old "we can grow our way out of this" scenario. No, it's going to take many years of program cuts and tax increases of some kind to get out of the current mess. Let's no forget who got us out of the mess last time. His name was Paul Martin. I was listening to a panel discussion the other day on economic track records of past governments. It was an American program. The thing about it was that Canada was singled out as having the best economic plan during the 1990's. Some decisions made at that time made it possible for Canada to enjoy the economic success it has in the past few years, according to the panel. I'm not sure why people forget the many years of balanced budgets this country enjoyed under that previous administration. Maybe they will when the results of the economic mismanagement in the past few years become more evident.

Sam
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As a former Liberal supporter, I tend to agree with the majority sentiment here. The party needs a complete shakeup with new and younger talent. The old guard are what caused the demise of the once formidable party, so some fresh talent is badly needed. Justin Trudeau might be one such star, but many more are needed if the party is to be a contender anytime soon. Personally, I thought Frank McKenna would have made a more charismatic and likeable leader than Ignatief.

Obsever
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More so in today's politics than in the past, personality matters as much as, or even more than policies. And MI, unfortunately, is a tainted product. Politicos should not underestimate the importance of that unpleasant business of Mrs I. No spin doctor can unmake the voter-unfriendly fact that MI walked out on the first Mrs I and their children in order to be with the present Mrs I. Women make up a large percentage of the electorate; women are sensitive to such things. Supporting MI and giving him the job of PM means someone who was "The Other Woman" would be Canada's First Lady. There are more than a few women who would baulk at the thought of bringing about such a situation, even if they have traditionally voted Liberal.

my take on this
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The conservatives are posting like they've all been scared incontinent. Michael Ignatieff must be on the right track. Bide your time Michael, Steve hasn't done anything right since he deceived Canadians in January 2006, f o u r l o n g y e a r s a g o.

Ivan
said
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Ah, the Conservative minion 'agree with anything anti-Iggy' clickers are out in full force today. How else do you explain a story that within a few minutes has such skewed agree/disagree ratios?

The Other Lowell in BC
said
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well what we know for sure. The inner circle that Ignatieff had before wasn't working for him. Basically they were too young and too inexperienced for the rough and tumble politics that is played on parliament hill. He needed seasoned pros. From what I can see, he now has people with many years under their belts. This should be a positive for Ignatieff. Of course all the harper supporters on here will slag Ignatieff irregardless of who he appoints to his inner circle. Like Harper hasn't made a few mistakes in that regard.

ian patterson
said
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even the savior donolo doesnt get it. people are tired and fed up with the old liberal ways. time to do away with the chretian and martin era thinking. really clean house do away with the kinsellas and all. iggy is toast, so have a real leadership convention and let the members vote.

Mad Professor
said
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Good people, Bad leader.

Dan
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None of this matters. As long as Ignatieff blocks the door to substantial change, he won't care if he becomes PM or not. He's doing the job the State Department sent him here to do, and he's doing it well, and Mr. Harper is doing a good job for Wall Street. The people that count are satisfied with their respective employees.--danUBC, Vancouver.

Edmonton Jim
said
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Now Iggy has an experienced team. This should make a big difference in the long run. A reorganization from time to time is a good thing. Harper has done it as well.

Bryce Code, Den Haag, Netherlands
said
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Donolo may have been effective back when the right was split but he will add little to the Liberals. Chretien won very low percentages of the vote despite the weak opposition. With a strong Conservative government adn Ignatief at the helm, these guys won't know what hit them and will be as disorganized as the group that was just tossed out.

roy
said
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This just proves that its the same old party with just a different santa,this party will never change

John from Saskatoon
said
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Shuffling a deck full of jokers still gives you a hand full of jokers.

Alysha Ont
said
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The Liberals can bring in all the Old Pros that they want and shake up the staff but their goal is still the same and that is to get back into power at any cost so they can once again screw the taxpayers! They have no plan to help Canadians other than spend our money and tax us to death. This is very obvious with the Ontario Liberals bringing in the HST at the worst time when we are coming out of a recession and many people are out of work. People have signed petitions against this, but the Liberals(Prov or Federal) do not listen to the taxpayers. They just help themselves to our money!The present gov't is not perfect by any means but at least they are working for the people of Canada.

Prof. Pye Chartt
said
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The problem is NOT the staff but, rather, the MAN. Michael Ignatieff cannot be "spun" into a stellar Liberal politician and prime ministerial material. He's already proven that. Unfortunately, however, the LPC is already over-invested in him. They handed the reigns to a Harvard academic, believing that his "intelligent and educated ways" would mesmerize the electorate, and get them behind him like the Pied Piper. What they won't admit to discovering is that Iggy has no natural political talent whatsoever. We've witnessed that time and again. Bringing in the sly and crafty machinists from the Chretien/Martin era is nothing more than a desperate "Hail Mary." I'd simply buy Mr. Ignatieff a plane ticket back to American, his preferred country of residence.

dusty - ottawa
said
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Is there ever a time NOT to shift the Liberal cabinet to get any kind of sense out of them? This is not going to stop their constant whining and complaining about the letter "C" , where money is going or who should get the H1N1 first, just because they happen to shake hands with people. It is certainly like the definition of a fool, "Performing the same task over and over and expecting a different result".

Bock
said
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We have finally got a good government in place. I am proud to be a Canadian again. Why does the Liberal Party of Canada want to spoil this?

When Pigs Fly !
said
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A first semester poly sci student could tell you this is a STUPID mistake and that Iggynatieff is already toast in the minds of the electorate..... You can put lipstick on a pig and it's still just a pig only in this case it's a Liberal pig that thinks it's a racehorse and has an entitlement to win the race!!!

Habs/AlsFan NS
said
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It appears the Liberal party of Canada just doesn't get it. You cannot regain power by doing things the old way with the same old people leading the way. Mr. Ignatieff needs to draw on new people from all walks of life to make up his "inner" circle to truly represent today's Canada, if he wants to become PM. PS (Mr Martin's communications director doesn't impress me, wasn't that Mr. Martin's problem from day 1, communicating with Canadians?)

Mike in the Nations Capital (not Toronto)
said
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@DOUG said"And frankly, now I think we have the best government we've had in many years.Perfect? No. But very good."....VERY GOOD is precisely why Prime Minister Harper will remain the Prime Minister for the foreseeable future long after Ignatieff has gone back to academia.

Rick
said
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So much for "changing" the way politics works, for the fresh new approach from the man who will bring so much of his international experience to improve our process. I guess in the end it really is all about simply winning and being in power.

Doug @ BC
said
0 0

In the spirit of generosity,today,I am half ways in agreement with "Red X". I think he got it right by saying the Liberal Party needs new policies if it's going to be a reasonable alternative.Where he gets it wrong is by saying Ignatieff "will" bring in new policies.The fact is,Mr.Ignatieff can not bring in policies that would bring this former Liberal back to the fold.The Party has allowed itself to be pulled so far to the left that it would now be better re-named "NDP Lite".And,as long as the Liberal party is stacked with closet socialists,no leader can bring them back to the political centre.The only way that happens,is if voters do the same to the Liberal party as they did to the former PC Party.Reduce the number of socialists,lobbyists and special interest groups,and increase the number of centrist candidates on the slate. If is wasn't so sad for Canada,this race for the political centre would be hilarious.Harper can't move to it quickly for fear of alienating the very conservative elements of his party ,and Ignaieff can't get to the political centre because he would lose the left wing socialist element in his party,while risking the possibility that those of us in the politcal centre may not necessarily return to the Liberals. It's people like myself that Ignaieff has to attract back to the party.But I didn't leave because of any particular leader.I left because the Liberals became to socialist,and to left wing.I tolerated it under Trudeau.I stuck with it under Chretien because there was no alternative.But when Martin reused to move towards the politcal centre,I had to leave.And franky,now I think we have the best government we've had in many years.Perfect? No. But very good.

Aron Daven
said
0 0

The LPC doesn't need old spin doctors. I needs the old guard itself. Despite the scandals, Chretien did a good job running the country. He had room for both the left and right and placed the more extreme elements in jobs where they could do little harm.The problem is, as soon as Martin took over, he kicked out all Chretien loyalists, most of whom were from the right wing. The LPC is now so left that former Ontario NDP leader Bob Rae was almost crowned head of the LPC.Iggy now has to run an imbalance party. Its no wonder he's failing. Even Chretien would have a hard time leading the LPC....there's no enough to work with. If Iggy is smart, he'll find some way to get old right wing pros like Manley back to provide some balance and actual experience at governing.

Big Papa
said
0 0

He forgot to change one inexperienced newcomer to the party, HIMSELF! Go back to the U.S.!

Edb
said
0 0

From the same gang who brought you such classic hits as the Human Resources boondoggle, the 2 billion dollar gun registry and how could anyone forget everybody's favorite...the ol' Sponsorship scandal. You're playing with some real show stoppers now Iggy.

B Louis
said
0 0

Politics is what it is, so it makes me laugh to hear comments on the new/old liberal lineup. Experience is what it is, without it common mistakes especially those made in the past will undoubtedly be repeated. The Reform/Conservatives have both in their stables and its served them well. It the liberals had the same makeup you would have heard the same message from the Iggy but one being made that the primary focus was too bring down the gov't. Experience wouldn't have allowed such an amateurish mistake. It's Harper who can't afford a mistake that will deliver another minority. Three strikes....and you're out! Thank God, I really don't think a man so deeply cemented into partisanship is capable of anything less than a minority gov't. The good news is conservatives aren't short on talent to replace him.Pressure it isn't on Iggy...its Harper's to loss and the pressure is on him and him alone and he hasn't let us down yet in this regard.

Peter Rapsey
said
0 0

I think it is very wise to bring in those that have been more successful for the most successful political party in the world. Canada, too, was more successful in the past. I do hope though that there is a powerful role for some talented members of the new generation. Being from the new generation is not good enough though.

Unemployed in 2009 Mom of 3
said
0 0

The government as a whole needs a shake up and a rejuvenation.of how to work more effectively, efficiently and productively with the people, departments and technology now available. Iif you took half the politics out of politics....half of them would be unemployed in the House. Maybe then they'd care about the unemployment rates in Canada.

PeterS
said
0 0

Too little, too late, I fear. Michael, look unto thyself.

Have they no shame these Liebrals?
said
0 0

Bringing back the same gang that brought us corruption and stole our money. The same back room operatives who ran this country into the ground by selling our culture down the road to ruin for a few votes?These guys are nothing but political bandits in my view. Shame shame shame.They don't care as long as the taxpayer foots the bill and their friends are well cared for.Won't work this time boyz.

Alex Baker
said
0 0

I identify the Liberal Party by Micheal Ignatieff, not the inexperienced inner circle. Increase your ratings by replacing your leader. I will never take the Liberal Party seriously with Ignatieff at the helm.

TS
said
0 0

Out with the new, and in with the same old. I guess we better get ready for power at all costs, themselves as the priority, and to heck with what's best for Canada. Yup, same old.

Anne M
said
0 0

So is this the same bunch who were hiding taxpayers money in plain brown envelopes in Montreal.Wonder how they will stash the money this time around?

don.h
said
0 0

it looks like lord chretien has seen enough, and has ordered in the old crew to work the strings on the puppet king iggy. was this not the same bunch of guys that fed lies to the tax payers to keep the liberals in power ?

Portes
said
0 0

Sad, very very sad. This man is trying every which way to get more popular, but it won't work. You just don't throw people around especially in Politics, it will come back and bite you in the a**. He had better wake up and realise the more he does this the less popular he will be. You cannot bring back old horses and expect them to perform in todays politicla scene. What he neeeds to do is to get himself a bunch of fresh people with new ideas, not ones that have been used before. I am afraid that is he dooming the Liberal Party to opposition for years to come. Jean Chretien was hated in Quebec and I think that by doing what he is doing will bring back the old Ad Scam problem as most of these people were involved in it. People do not forget, even though politicans think that we are all stupid

Wade Ens
said
0 0

A new facade does not change the fact Iggy was recruited to come back to Canada with the promise of a safe seat and a quick MP's pension. He never came back for the love of Canada. He called himself American so he is just another phoney.

Bill
said
0 0

He can do whatever he wants in admin...The product is completely flawed! Can put whatever spin you'd like on Michael, we just don't want him!

LDL in ONT
said
0 0

The more things change, the more things stay the same !

GTA
said
0 0

Was it not the old pros that got the LPC in trouble in the first place? I don't think pressing rewind on the video tape is going to get you back in office.

Michael
said
0 0

The doctor is in the house:Peter Donolo as Ignatieff's chief of staff is little more than a political "spin doctor" to be sure. One wonders what conversations Donolo must have had with Chretien over the likes of Adscam or Sponsorgate? Spin doctor is so appropriate.A veteran politico, Donolo represents the old Chretien guard, the old boys network along with the likes of Warren Kinsella the Liberal war room talking head who met a mirror he didn't like.Liberals still aren't getting the message yet from Canadians. They still think its business as usual the Liberal way with a little help from THEIR friends. ARGH!

Frank Buchan
said
0 0

So, summing up, the LPC became tired of trying to change and returned to the past for stability.No surprises and not much of a story there, I fear.

Red X
said
0 0

Iggy will improve his standing by reaching out and developing new policies that distiguish himself from Harpy...

Fred - Brandon MB
said
0 0

While shuffling the deck chairs on his Titanic, Iggy has come across some old, has-been chairs and dusted them off.

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