Michael Ignatieff visits Lord Roberts preschool. Photo: Dave Chan
If you were staying on the 17th floor of the Delta Winnipeg yesterday, I apologize. The guy trying to unlock your door in the middle of the night was me. It’s day five — or is it six? — of the campaign, and I’ve already lost the ability to remember which time zone we’re in, let alone my room number. I’m waiting for this to become hilarious.
Before I got my bearings this morning, Michael Ignatieff was back on the Twitter machine, responding (again) to Stephen Harper’s challenge of a one-on-one debate. The reply came swiftly and through Conservative spokesmen: Mr. Harper had un-thrown the gauntlet. To Mr. Ignatieff’s “any time, any where,” he had replied, “no way, no how.” In the best back-pedalling traditions of the Harper regime, Stephen Harper was now ^NOT prepared to debate the issues with his chief opponent.
So it’s day six — or is it five? — of the campaign, and Stephen Harper is already breaking his word. As Michael Ignatieff said this morning, it just shows you can’t trust the guy. In less than 24 hours, he went from cocksure to eating crow. I hear it tastes like chicken.
(I wonder: would Stephen Harper agree to the one-on-one debate if Michael Ignatieff were only allowed to ask five questions, from forty feet away, on the other side of a fence?)
By mid-morning today, Michael Ignatieff had put away Twitter in favour of childhood things; we headed over to Lord Roberts preschool for our third family-friendly policy announcement of the week: the Liberal plan to create quality, affordable childcare spaces. At Lord Roberts, Michael Ignatieff met kids who, unlike a certain other party leader, know how to play well with others, share, and finger paint.
From there, we were off to lunch at Kelekis’s, home of Winnipeg’s world-famous hot dogs and shoestring fries. In Michael Ignatieff’s words, you haven’t lived until you’ve tried them. (How long you’ll live is a different question. But trust me, it’s worth it.)
As I write this, we’re on our way to Michael Ignatieff’s second town hall meeting of the campaign, in London, Ontario. There won’t be a pre-screened question or security barrier in sight. After all, real leadership is ^NOT scripted.
- A.G.
Adam Goldenberg is Michael Ignatieff’s speechwriter. He’ll be on the road with Michael Ignatieff and the Liberal team until election day. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/adamgoldenberg. Email him at adam@email.liberal.ca.
