Updated: Sun May. 24 2009 10:24:25 PM

CTV.ca News Staff

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff says he's going to "mess" with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, but that won't include personal attack ads.

Ignatieff, who has faced a barrage of Conservative attack ads aimed at him in recent weeks, insists that the government's record is so poor, personal attack ads are unnecessary.

"There's enough on the record that we can attack: record unemployment, record bankruptcies, record deficit," he said in Dartmouth, N.S., Sunday. "That should give us enough to be getting along with.

Ignatieff was attending a provincial election campaign stop in Nova Scotia to throw his support behind his provincial colleagues.

Speaking in Gander, N.L. Saturday, Ignatieff said the prime minister must learn, "If you mess with me, I will mess with you until I'm done."

"Don't trifle with me. Don't try this rough stuff with me," he added Sunday.

The Conservatives have launched an Internet and television ad campaign attacking Ignatieff for his lengthy time out of the country, and attempt to portray Ignatieff as an out-of-touch elitist.

The ads point out his 34 years spent teaching and writing in the U.S. and Britain and say he will go back to Harvard University if he doesn't become prime minister.

Ignatieff has responded with an Internet ad saying that Harper is smearing all new Canadians with the attack ads.

It was a similar line used by Liberal strategist Warren Kinsella on CTV's Question Period Sunday.

"I have two words for this kind of advertising. Wayne Gretzky, or Neil Young, or Celine Dion. I mean is the prime minister saying that those people are less Canadian?" he said.

Tory strategist Tim Powers laughed off that defence and called it a "bad counterattack."

"The challenge Mr. Ignatieff has, it's not that he lived outside the country, it's what he said when he was outside the country," Powers said on Question Period.

With files from The Canadian Press

Comments are now closed for this story

Sam C
"If you mess with me, I will mess with you until I'm done."

Yawn!

Lane
Gretzky,Young and dion aren't trying to be P.M.

NikO'theNorth
I am having a little trouble with the comparison to "new Canadians". Mr. Ignatieff must mean Canadians who get their citizenship, then leave for 34 years. Perhaps his absence makes him feel like a new Canadian, and therefore is enlisting the support of real new Canadians?

Colin
Iggy the American is getting upset, about what, he has identified himself as an american once that i know of. The present E.I system is a product of a previous liberal government and he is trying to say it is a product of the present government. Typical liberal forked tongue speakese, i can not believe that any person with the capicity to think would believe anything coming out of a liberal voice box.Remember, Iggy supported the three stooges coup attempt, but now says he didn't. His name is the last one on the petition to the G.G.Iggy must think canadians are stupid.

Dunny from Manotick.
You fight me, you fight my gang. This is the same thing that Dion said. Remember him?

Hey Iggy, why don't you bring Ruby along as backup or is she a boat anchor at this point?

Mark from Thunder Bay
I think our Prime Minister is pulling at strings to try to retain his term in government, because he knows that when the next election happens, he won't be the Prime Minister, but the Leader of the Official Opposition. These attack ads are nothing more than cheap shots at his competition. PM Harper, get ready for an election you will lose, because I think it's coming soon! Enjoy 24 Sussex Drive while you can!

Nancy: Ignatieff just has no credibility
Mr. Ignatieff knows what he has written and thats why his own party rejected him in favor of Dion. He will try and throw out dirty attack ads but they will not work because Harper has nothing to hide.
Mr Ignatieff please quit embarassing yourself and go back home to America.

Joe Canada
I think the attack ads speak to the lack of intellectual depth these people have coupled with the lack of character needed to lead Canada. Canada needs a team and and a group lead by someone who wants to build and inspire and not intimidate and control. With those ads attacking his Canadian integrity is like telling Gretzky that he is not Canadian or the soldiers who serve in Afghanistan that they are not Canadian because they are out of the country. These Conservative are repugnant swine of people.

Wayne in Bathurst
It is so obvious that Harper is desperate. What cheap shots! Who does he think he is fooling? We Canadians are a lot smarter that he gives us credit for. The sooner we get rid of Harper and the Conservatives the much better off Canada will be.

Dave
I would love to see this country governed by an American, who potrays himself as a
Canadian.

DB Cooper
The Conservatives shouldn't be flaunting what Ignatieff has said in the past. Stephen Harper once said "Canada is a Northern European welfare state in the worst sense of the term, and very proud of it".

People who live in glass houses, Stevie. Especially since he hasn't got much of a record to stand on. The Conservatives go on about how bad the opposition is, yet even with what he perceives to be a weak opposition, he not only can't pull out a majority vote, he's losing again in the polls. Instead of telling Canadians why we should be supporting his sorry a--, he can do nothing but make childish accusations.

Ignatieff has lived elsewhere; so what. If anything, that means he knows how Canada is perceived by the rest of the world. Harper can't even call on Bush these days for advice.

Connie (Calgary)
I am really not sure who Mr Harper is anymore. I thought we were done with bully politics. We need a leader who will build something and get off the "I need an enemy" approach to running this country. Harper may find he is making Ignatieff look good. When one compares him to the old, tired, Harper approach, Ignatieff comes out pretty good.

Hankers
Don't triffle with Iggy? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Peter
I'm a liberal, but does Ignatieff really plan to try and 'blame' the PC's for the 'record' unemployment, bankruptcies, and deficit? Right, like we have someone to 'blame' for the worldwide financial meltdown. Mikey, this is why we Canadians are sick of politicians. You're all just too stupid for words. It's like watching a trivial pursuit match for idiots. Nobody gets a single question right, but that doesn't stop them cause.. they're still in the game! G-d help us.

John Phillips
These ads do attack Ignatieff, but they effectively helped me vote against the Liberal leader. Someone who spent the majority of his career in the U.S and was also employed there does not deserve the right to come back to Canada and become our leader. Our leader should be someone who sticks with us and not leave our Country for a better job else where. Ignatieff could have taught at any Canadian University, but apparently the States is better than Canada. I don't want someone with that philosophy leading my country.

Johanna
Hopefully no one will quote me from when I lived outside the country. I probably said I miss Jim's Pizza, does that make me less Canadian? Maybe these Tories ought to live outside the country too, then maybe they would find a bit of respect for those who have had a pleasure of living abroad. To live abroad does not make one less Canadian, in fact, we come back more enthused about our way of life here. We may say things that are somehow taken out of context. Really, let's stop playing playground bully and be adult in this game of politics..... These ads make the Tories look pretty ignorant, and in fact, as a Canadian I am embarrassed that such bullying is going on. Mr. Ignatieff needs to be respected for the contribution he has made in the world at large, not rebuked they way the Tories are carrying on!!!!!! Let's get at the issues that are looming and the desperate times that many are going through........ So many jobs lost, let us focus on the task of jobs not attack ads, for what good????......we have people who are really going through tough times and no prospect of a job in sight. Meanwhile Mr. Harper employs people to dig up what???? on Mr. Ignatieff....Please Tories, that is not what you are meant to be doing, or elected to do......... Help Canadians who have and are losing so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Goldens
These attack adds are scary. One implies that the Liberal leader is an American and Brit first. When it comes to negotiating with these two countries over who has rigths to our north whoes side is The Liberal leader going to be on?

John W
Bridgetown NS

Roxy I Like Harper the sweater Man with Kittens
Wayne Gretzky never wrote about Blood and War again and again.

A)Lesser Evil Peace published in the New York Times.
B)Scar Tissue
C)Blood and Belonging
D)The Warrior's Honour
E)Virtual War
F) American Exceptionalism
G) A Just Measure of Pain

Iggy said he is horribly arrogant and sure of himself and thinks he has the answer to every bloody problem.
Canda does not need Bloody Problems like when he wrote “To defeat evil, we may have to traffic in evils: Indefinite detention of suspects, coercive
interrogations, targeted assassinations, even pre-emptive war.”

I think he is a dangerous man, he scares me and I just do not trust him, to come with the typical love book at election time is not fooling anyone.

Just a measure of Pain I am not interested in.

An attack ad on Iggy is him talking its and attack ad on himself.

David Richards
Personally I'd like a Prime Minister to have lived their adult life in Canada, rather than somewhere else. Someone that has a feel for what's immportant to me,and my neighbours.

mich
The ads did not influence me at all.I found them like the puffin ad on Mr Dion, kind of tasteless and low politics
I am not remotely interested
in the time Mr Ignatieff spent in Britain or the US
I am interested in what kind of member of parliament he has been since back in Canada and what kind of leader he is now!

Tyler Toronto
The Liberal party cannot handle a two Nanny complaint and is despetate to change the Channel.

André in Ontario
Harper attack ads have nothing to do with running the country or what Canada needs as a leader. Harper is desperate based on his record. Just look at what Harpo has proposed since being in office & you'll see that everything he's done is to try to turn the great country of Canada into the US. And lets look at all his ideas are someone elses. Then look at what he has done since the last election.... mislead Canadians, mishandle the economy in Canada & deny what was going on, prorogue government, run such a large deficit & not have any clear plan on how to pay it back, between he & McGuinty increase taxes to Ontarions with the HST, now he's going to pay the pensions of the CAW & GM retirees on the back of Canadian taxpayers & so on & so on. Attack ads just go to show you how much Harper want to be American. Not without saying that he only talks to Fox News & not Canadian news or Canadians in general. He's been missing in action for a long time.

Robert J Brilliant Genius
Getting off topic is precisely what politicians thrive on, no matter what party, as it's within the big parasitical retirement package plan of wasting 90% of our political energy and capacity on this idiotic in-fighting focused on party powers instead of dealing with issues. Same BS in the US, and even worse. Each election, major issues of critical responsibility and decision making are conveniently avoided with third-rate and suddenly highly emotional games being played with very minor issues given maximum profile. Is the country undergoing revolionary change and not handling it well? Well!, better start screaming about official languages in Churchill or the price of wood carvings in PEI then, to save us all! Party politics is for idiots!!

Edmonton Vic
First Iggy wants the Coalation (and he signed it) then he says he does not and would not support a government that wants to seperate Canada (BLOC) and then he tells everyone the PC party are not spending enough money to help us all out and then he says the Liberal party would spend more but did he not say that the conservatives arew putting us in deep debt . I am so confused, but the he is just a well scooled idiot right. My dad used to say that when you are well schooled if you can not baffle people with your brillance then just baffle them with your bull poop.At some point and time Iggy will even know what he is talking about.

Edmonton Vic
Hey Dave;
If you want an american to run our country just vote for Iggy!If he has his way we will be americans very soon.

David Richards
I forgot to add, this statement is frivolous "There's enough on the record that we can attack: record unemployment, record bankruptcies, record deficit," this is a World problem and has nothing to do with Prime Minister Harper.

Al in Oshawa
Joe Canada "repugnant swine of people"
Woa!! that's really witty!
Is that a Dion quote?

New Immigrant and I'm not voting Liberal
The difference is Mr. Ignatieff we came here because we love Canada.
Mr. Ignatieff you left and called us names behind our back when you thought Canada wasn't watching.
I will vote Conservative or NDP because they care about people and are not war mongers. I lost a sister trying to get to Canada escaping a war. I do not want for Canada what we left behind.

Dave in Surrey
Can some of you Conservatives please explain to me what a "Real Canadian" is?

I have a freind who was born in Canada and left @ 16 to England with his family... He returned @ 36 for work in Alberta and is now 40...

Is he a "Real Canadian"?

andrew Saskatchewan
Mr.Ignatieff has identified himself as an American. Is this what Canadians want in their P.M. What we need is some new young forward thinking Canadian,a Canadian with a vision of what canada should be. Not the same old Conservative, Liberal, NDP vision. We need a leader that loves Canada and when that leader appears I will be the first one to vote for Her or Him regardless of their political affiliation.Ignatieff, Harper, Layton, and May are not it.

Doug Ontario
The problem for the Liberals is that the ads are true. Don't they remember their scare-mongering attacks on Mr. Harper for his supposed great right-wing conspiracy? Now they are in the unenviable position of having to oppose the most effective minority government in decades. Mr Ignatieff pretends he is looking for an issue to bring down the government. He'll probably chicken out again.

Susan
Is it true that if Ignatieff becomes Prime Minister, he wants to be paid in American funds?

Susan Miller Regina
Michael Ignatieffs manipulation is a joke. He just doesn't have any credibility.

Janice M Brampton
Jack Layton will replace the Liberals as the official opposition, because Mr. CIA who was happy to be called the count by his grampa is too out there, his intelect is a joke a Carbon Taxm, keeping a GST hike on the table, saying he doesn't care about this and that makes unfit for office.

cantuc
uuhm , what does Kinsella mean here , exactly ? -- "I have two words for this kind of advertising. Wayne Gretzky, or Neil Young, or Celine Dion. I mean is the prime minister saying that those people are less Canadian?" he said.
Gretsky wasn't parachuted into first place in the nhl scoring race , Neil Young and Celine Dion aren't trying to be the PM of Canada and there is no comparism between the talent of these three outstanding , talented Canadians and Ignatief . None whatsoever .

Stephanie in Toronto - Iggy is a Pit Bull
Ignatieff said the prime minister must learn, "If you mess with me, I will mess with you until I'm done."

Excuse me, but I think Ignateiff may be a little crazy.

He should get a Pit Bull named Attack Dog.

Andre Cochrane, Alberta
Liberals same old loser playing musical chairs. He sure leared how to be a loud mouth peice in the States. we are not the 51st State Mr Ignatieff go back to Russia or the States all the places you said you loved when bad mouthing Canada.

Joe Mac
Ignatieff dismissed our national flag as "a passing imitation of a beer label."

That was then, this is now.

Canadian if necessary, but not necessarily Canadian.

Liberals put the EI rules in when unemployment was 10%, Ignatieff wants to change the rules with unemployment 2% lower at 8%. I don't get it.

What does it mean "I will mess with you until I'm done". It's definately original, whatever.

Iggy why did you tell eveyone you were an American.

Trent
I will miss with you...Thanks I needed a good laugh today....Yep lets blame this goverment for the world ecomy shrinks lol way to go loser...

Fan of the Great One
As a Student I use think I would vote Lieral but the new leader (I'm sorry) just creeps me out. Liberals taking the NDP policies means they have none of their own.
Liberals want an election over their own policy but only for a little then they would go back to the same policy, is that stupid or am I missing something.

frustrated in edmonton
There hasnt even been an election called and the conservatives are allready doing nasty mud slinging??? are they serious???
I consider myself to be an independant when it comes to politics, but the fact that harpers conservatives are running negative personal ads against ignatief when there isnt even an election really shows their lack of integrity and morals.... they have lost my vote.

Marg MM
To "Dave in Surrey"

I assume that your friend isn't trying to be PM of Canada, unless of course he is Mr Ignatieff. That is the difference. Someone who hasn't worked or paid taxes in Canada for 30+ years shouldn't expect to come back and become PM.

This is not about whether people are new Canadians or have lived here all of their lives. It is about someone thinking he is entitled to run our country even after abandoning it for many years.

Eric N from Saskatchewan
Iggy has ZERO credibility amongst mainstream Canadians who have actually lived here most of their lives and form the majority of voters. Nobody cares what you think other than the most loyal Liberal hack.

Rob NS
Since Harper's ads are true... Iggy is going to have a hard time fighting them.
And to try and blame the impact of the world wide recession on Harper...well all you have to do is compare our unemployment rate to other countries like the US, Briton and such...and we are in much better shape...
Bottem line, Harper has done a good job during this recession. Not sure Iggy has a real leg to stand on.......

Former conservative
Conservatives has mismanaged the economy so badly that they are in panic mode. Spending their money is one thing, but self promotion by using 9 millions of taxpayers' money is another.

Stevie has a crush
Call me a romantic, but I think ol' Steve Harper has himself a crush. Why else is he spending so much attention and time on Ignatieff and his world experiences? Don't ask, don't tell Harper. Just get a room and have done with it.

Barb A real Canadian is Mr Stephen Harper
To Dave in Surrey
Who wrote:
Can some of you Conservatives please explain to me what a "Real Canadian" is?
Yeah it is some one who puts a Canadian Flag on their back pack when travelling, not some one who runs around putting Canada down.
Every Canadian has said things we regret, but come on Mr Ignatieff you were almost 60 saying these things and are just looking for a job with a pension.

Ryan P.
Won't make attack ads? Hmmmm wonder why...maybe because you have no arguments.....Iggy's boring back to the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Elaine Prince Albert Saskatchewan
The Problem is the Liberals have been dubbed as a bunch of phonies.

PB
Those Tory attack ads remind me of the fat dumb elementary school bully who slings abuse at the new kid fearing he will get more attention.

Anyone who admires that childishness is a loser.

Of course, I am clearly biased, having traveled abroad and being edu-ma-cated.

Fred - Brandon MB
What's Iggy going to do? Stomp all the way back to his country, the USA?

He tells Harper to grow up, then acts like a big baby.

Pathetic!!

Tom Winnipeg
It takes a while for people to come around and see a government for what it is. It took two terms for Mulroney and his band to get the boot, the same thing goes for Harper and his gang. People in this country are tired of these low-blow attacks and are not so dumb as to be convinced by them. This is especially ture now that the government isn't doing anything about improving life in this country - instead Harper is seen as trying to change the channel from his lack of caring for people.

Next election, the Harper Gang is out.

Mike Holmes Liberal Crisis is there is no Crisis
The new Liberal party is a joke if you don't implement a stimulas package we will vote against it. Now their attack is they spent to much.
Te Liberals are worried the Stimulas if going out now and is going to create a lot of jobs, that is their real crisis.

R NS
To
""Dave in Surrey""
Can some of you Conservatives please explain to me what a "Real Canadian" is?

I have a freind who was born in Canada and left @ 16 to England with his family... He returned @ 36 for work in Alberta and is now 40...

Is he a "Real Canadian"?

Iggy was born here on a stopover to the states, and was living in the states by the time he was 6 months, not 16 years...
His father sent him back here to finish grad school, maybe because he was sick of him...and Iggy left Canada again as soon as he graduated. He has no love of Canada, that's the didderence from your friend.

R
Iggy the rich American piggy...send him home!

Socatres 21
What Tim Powers and Stevie Harper can't seem to understand is that the Bush/Harper era of small-minded pettiness is over. Attack ads won't work in this climate, people want action on issues that matter to them. Harper has been around too long and the mess Canada is in hangs on him more than anyone else.

Adam
I dont support attack ads I never wil, and i generally vote against the party that airs them.

Harris saw Retired old people @ Liberal Convention
Mr. Al Gretzky uncle to the great one was a conservative Candidate. I notice at the Montreal Conservative Rally there seems to be a lot of new Canadians there. At the Liberal Convention in Vancouver it looked like a retirement home.
With all do respect to the old people who were happy to get out for the day.

Pittsky
I hope King iggy forces an election. He has openly stated that if he lost the election he would leave Canada again. Lets hope he leaves for good this time.

Sean
I don't care much for the Harper Clan, but am much more against Liberal policies.

It therefor saddens me to see the conservatives making such stupid moves.

Personally, I don't really care where someone comes from if they are willing to help. The attack adds are quite boring and amuse nobody.

Will
I don't follow politics much but I find Harper's attack ads to be insulting to any Canadian who has worked outside of the country. A leader should not insult any Canadian. Does this mean new immigrants will never be able to run for elected office under Harper?

Paul Chilliwack
Ignatieff,

We are tired of the LIBERALS and the OLD Liberals we have not forgotten Chretien and Martin, oh Gagliano as well.

Maybe you should go back to the US.

Mom Theresa in Halifax
I hope Mr. Ignatieff gave up on the party of hope I am another Obama game, it was too just too far over the top even my kids were laughing at the old white guy trying to fake it.
Funny if he was in Nova Scotia the news didn't mention it.

Terri
New Immigrant. You are right on the money. People come here for a better way of life. They come here because it is not as easy for them in their own country and they want better for their children. They are not super rich spoiled brats that have spent 34 years out of the country and then come back to be PM. Who does he think he is fooling?He is only trying to use immigrants to get elected.Immigrants chose Canada to become Canadians. If they wanted to be Americans they would have moved to America.

Toby
The ads are really tacky and portray nothing but desparation on the part of Stevie and his gang.

Well at least Iggy had had real jobs. Harper has never had a real job and enjoys eating at the trough. Stevie is a flake who will soon have to look for a real job.

Cry me a river Stevie.

Larry I Ontario
I for one would like to see our leaders stick to issues that directly effect all Canadians, like, unemployment, credit card intrest, clean air and water, taxes, health care, unity and a host of others. When will all the parties learn that we are not interested in cheap attacks by any side as it does nothing to help Canadians. Stop the crap and lets work together!

Ronald in Toronto
It's good to have a hobby outside of preening for the media closeups.

Henry Wysmulek
Will that be U.S.A. or Canadian wrestling rules, or does he even know which country he is currently living in?

AH in Ottawa
People, wake up and smell the coffee, or tea!

Harper has lost his mind.

What is he going to do next kick immigrants out of the country, or take their rights away? Even if they were sworn in as Canadian citizens, and are working ?

I think Canadians are being lied to, and misled by this govt.

Paolo Gneo
Michael Ignatieff does not have the qualifications to lead Canada. I'm not sure what the Liberals are thinking; to elect a realative stranger to Canada to be their leader, they are as out of touch with Canadians as Mr. Ignatieff is!

Balgonie Bob
I guess one of Iggy's problems is the Harper government record because the rest of the G20 are standing back, scratching their heads and trying to figure out how Canada is doing so well.

Inflation is low, unemployment is low, banks are stable, we seem to be turning the corner, etc., etc., etc.,

Tom Hawley
Lane ,you said and I quote,
"Gretzky,Young and dion aren't trying to be P.M".
Are you saying if Gretzky,Young or Dion were running for the country's top job they would then become less Canadian because they worked a great many years out of the country?
Steve Yzerman must be removed from team Canada(sarcasim).
What next would supporters of Mr.Harper suggest? Only those born to remain and work in Canada will have the right to be in government.
Scary thought but something our free society must think about.
This is not a picture that I wish to help paint!

Tom (Edmonton)
Of course Harper has to use attack ads, he has nothing else to offer.

Wayne, Waterloo
More attack ads... basically all an attach ad says is to "vote for me 'cause the other guy is no good". Or "I haven't got a good platform to stand on so I'll try to smear the other guy instead"

So we're going to have to vote for the lesser of the evils again... :(

I have little respect for anyone putting out attack ads.

I would much rather listen to why I should vote for you. What have you done and what will you do? That is way more important. And that is something I can respect.

Drifter
This is not about who is more Canadian, but about who is better leader for the country. Living abroad or in tar sands of Alberta in hardly relevant!

Dion was more Canadian then Harper ever will be and that did not make him better, nor will Harpers image as a insensitive red neck from Alberta!

Attacking Ignatieff for not being "Enough" Canadian is an insult to those who just became Canadians. And this bull about high integrity of prime ministers office, hey get real, just look at Mullroney !!!

Marg MM
How can they be called "attack ads" when everything in them is true?

Just wondering.

Paul in London, ON
"There's enough on the record that we can attack: record unemployment, record bankruptcies, record deficit,"

These are global issues and not issues created by the current PM. Ignatieff is not going to get far with this line of attack.

Abby J
Michael Ignatieff has always creeped me out, if you have ever tried to read any of his books you would understand. Just creepy.

I don't think politics is his cup of tea.

marie in Montreal
I'm a Liberal but I must admit that these ads have me thinking. Just how Canadian do you have to be to be our leader? Maybe this is just another feather in his cap with no real motivation behind it except,perhaps, glory. I have never voted for anyone but for a Liberal leader...except maybe next time. For this, kudos to the conservatives.

Looking for Leadership
Is there anyone out there who wants to be Prime Minister and represent the intersts of Canadians first?

Marc Thornhill
i think it is a valid question on whatMr Ignatieff has done and what he has said. If life experiences and his work as an acedimic are who he is and it is important for the electoate to get to know him. As a voter I am a big boy and I can determine what i think of him. If i think living outside of out country as opposed to living here had a bearing. It is not like the Tories have lied. they gave a fact and then their opinion based on the fact. i can draw my own conclusions as well. I am just wondering if it is no big deal then why weren't the liberals extoling the virtues of their new leader..... Me thinks because the Liberals themselves know it is probably not a good thing politically to have left the country and lived abroad for some 30+ years. I am sure the voters will decide.

Barb in Kingston
We live in a global society and the borders are less clear. I want a Prime Minister who can lead our country but also understand the world we live in on all levels, financial, environmental, etc. That person is Ignatieff.

Laureen
This is not an attack ad
This is factual. There is a difference. I hope that Canadians don't once again shift toward Liberal. Heaven help us.

Al Mackie
I am a Canadian that lived out of the country for a number of years. Living out of the country made me a better Canadian - I came to appreciate what we have here more. I also had opportunities in my profession that were not available here, anywhere in the country. So I brought back a bunch of skills as well. Does all this mean I should not run for public office? The idiotic comments about this matter have got to be from very narrow minded inward looking xenophobes - no other rational explanation (unless they are are CP party hacks spinning the spin).

Bring it, Iggy
Canadians are tired of you anyway. Time to go back where you came from, loser.

Prof. Pye Chartt
IGGY IS A GOLD MINE

If your political vocation is digging up valuable nuggets to use against the appointed, unelected parliamentary pretender to the throne of Prime Minister and his party of righteous left-wingers, Ignatieff himself, in all his pomposity and self-importance, is a resource deserving of a public share offering.

Mason - Toronto
Wow some of the liberal posters on here are amazing. Comparing Iggy's 34 years out of the country BY CHOICE to a soldier serving his country in Afghanistan. I am pretty sure you will never find a canadian soldier call the US his home country. And to DB Cooper Your point is hilarious:
"The Conservatives shouldn't be flaunting what Ignatieff has said in the past. Stephen Harper once said "Canada is a Northern European welfare state in the worst sense of the term, and very proud of it"."

Lol how do you think we all found out about PM Harpers statements.......UMmmm the Liberal passed that one around. So in your glass house, who cast the first stone?????? Oh ya tose terrible desparate Liberals. Too funny!

Mark in Sarnia
I've voted Liberal the last 20 years, but come next election, I'll be voting Conservative, for a leader who didn't abandon his country for most of his adult life.

Cathy R.
After having seen the ads on television I must say that I was a bit skeptical at first, until I did own research on Mr. Ignatieff career background. I will not vote for the Liberals for the first time in many many years, I do not believe that someone who has spent so much time out of our country has the right to step up and take control. I think Mr. Ignatieff should go back to Harvard and resume his career in his adopted country.

W. @York
By new Canadians if he means citizens of convienience, then yeah I guess that he is right.

Chan in Van Insulted new Immigrant
Mr. Ignatieff insult us new Canadians he trying to and play game with us like idiots. Mr. Ignatieff is always me me me me me I did this I did that me me me me. I do not vote him.

Dave in Surrey with a Canadian Flag on his backpac
R NS

Iggy was born here on a stopover to the states, and was living in the states by the time he was 6 months, not 16 years...

-----------------------

His father was a Canadian Diplomat, hence why they left Canada at such an early time in his life... Diplomats usually need to live outside of Canada to be productive...

Let's keep the discussion real ok...

Iggy ha every right to run for PM as my friend does or anyone who is a citizen of Canada!!!

Caddy Shack, Shelburne
The reason people are offended by the so called attack ads are: these people are on the losing team and they are sooking. Grow up; attack ads have been around since democrocy has been. What do you think the Consevatives just discovered them?

No more Cons
These attack ads by The Cons are insulting! They think the average Canadian is stupid enough to buy into them, actually the only ones who buy this stuff is the hard line Con supporter out there & the average Joe who's never even travelled this country from Coast to Coast. Harper is very scared right now , He's trying to tear down a mountain of influence that a man has made for himself in the world only to built a tiny mole hill that will get kicked over ...this is really sad and pathetic on Harpers part, good thing he and the Cons won't be around much longer. (I hope this post makes you Con supporters irritated, now you know how your small minded posts makes the rest of us who have travelled feel.)

Tran Nguyen - Asian vote not going Liberal
The Liberal Party emotional reaction is so pedestrian its no wonder the Liberal Party is the butt of all jokes these days.
Only Liberals take themselves seriously or the poll they bought and paid for.

fhf
Dion was the best choice. Not successful in the most superficial of terms, but I believe genuine and honest. Keep electing sharks all you remora canucks. Feeding on the backs of the heartless and thoughtless. Numb numb.

ME
What attack ads!!

The ads only tell the truth about Iggy's past. How can that be an attack?

Ted
Prime Minister Harper is to blame for the recession, and here all the time I thought it was the American banks with there sub-prime mortages and the like that had plunged the world into this financial mess. I guess I can blame him for the arthritis in my thumb as well. Some of you people must have a terrible time doing those kids pictures where you join the dots with lines.

Cambob
Harper and Ignatieff are IRRELEVENT!!!

As long as the Bloc and NDP swish and sway voters there will never be a functional government in Ottawa. People need to choose YES or NO.

Having the options of "yes, no, maybe, certainly not, how rude, inconceivable, affirmative, it's possible" is paralyzing our country.

Liberal Party of Canada - In Total dissary
I am a life time liberal who has not voted in the last few elections. I just can not bring myself to vote for the Liberal party right now. TRhe party is void of leadership right now. Dion their first choice was an absolute failure but he was the best of Dion Iggy and Rae. So Dion failed and the Liberals are trying 1st runner up. The reality is dion, Iggy and Rae are all weak leadership candidates. The Liberals are picking the best out of a poor group. One must wonder why Tobin, McKenna and the like refuse to run for the leadership of the Liberals. I think they know the party is in total disarray right now. I no longer know what the Liberals stand for. Have they moved to the Left and are more like the NDP? Or are the pseudo greens now? I don't know. At least the Greens and NDP have put forth options and policy alternatives. The Liberals know that Iggy is not a good candidate thats why they didn't vote for him as leader the first time. And thats why the Libers still won't get me to vote. The Tory ads....??? to be expected because they are only saying what we know to be true. Iggy is a poor choice as liberal leader.

Brian In Sarnia
I'm glad I left the Conservative Party. They don't even talk platform or policy anymore. Seriously... Ignatieff is taking the high road here, and it's sad because I don't like him either... but he's looking pretty darn good here. Someone who's been abroad, gaining the experience of the populations of those countries does not make a bad leader. This broad view could be really good for Canada. It sure beats a petty name-calling bully like Harper. Hopefully liberal insiders don't dig up all the nasty things Harper has said about his own country. Harper's doing a good enough job making himself look bad.

William O Regan
I don't know what the Conservatives are playing at..Attacking an Opposition leader when the economy isn't at it's healthiest ? Seems a bit too " don't look behind the Curtain" a la Wizard of Oz..distract the masses from the real problems.
Also, I was born in Canada, I grew up in Europe and returned to Canada after 23 yrs. I am now proudly serving my country in Afghanistan promoting Canadian ideals. Am I LESS of a Canadian..am I fit to give aid and treat our troops in theatre of war ?
Appearently not, Conservative Party.
I love how you've brought our Armed Forces back to its former strength, but come on, FOCUS !!

Don from Ottawa
Let the games begin, Iggy. Just remember that you are the #2 choice behind Stephane Dion for a reason.

Margaret Taylor
Enough posturing! WHAT IS the Liberal Platform??? So far, all Iggy et al have done is critique the Conservatives policies. They have NOT put forth any REAL policies of their own, other than state they are willing to fight on election in EI reform. Big Deal. WHAT is THEIR agenda? Did anyone miss the little statement that Iggy made a couple of weeks ago? The Carbon Tax is NOT off the table, he just won't run an election on it. What else do the Liberals have "up their sleeves"? That's what I want to know. That'w what Canadians want to know.

teri
Either go back to england or usa we don't want you here.

Tony - Oakville
For all you liberal who say it doesn't matter I have a question. Would you vote for a mayor that only lived in your town or city for a few years when he went to school? Would you vote for an MP that doesn't live in or know your riding?or was parachuted it? So why is it any different for the PM of this country. If anything it should be more important. Just a thought

jay
Dave in Surrey
What i think there getting at is this.Since he has been out the country for 30 years he is out of touch with what canadians want and to a point it could be true.He comes back gets right into the politcal scene which is odd since he has been away from canada for so long.Take obama if he had been away from the states for 30 years and came back and said i want to be the presdient.Chanced are he may not have got the support he did get and they very real chance he would not have been elected.

joboy
Gretzky, Young and Dion are not trying to be PM but if they did, would you exclude them for the same reasons?

Fog of Life
I'm sorry but a passport doesn't make you equal. That's goo easy. You're not a new Canadian Iggy, you're an old Canadian who chose to live his life elsewhere, and your behaviour tells us how you really feel about this place. If you cared, you would have lived here, so please save your breath as no one wants to listen to you. Go home....

BC Conservatve
As a long time Conservative who was disgusted with Trudeau, Mulroney and Chretien, I now find myself with the same feelings for Harper... I liked him at first but his attitude towards others who disagree with him is very tiring and boring... I wish he would resign as leader so we can move forward and beyond petty politics...

Graham
But, but, but, the Liberals are "above" attack ads. Iggy said they would be taking the high road. Yet another Ignatieff flip-flop.

Quote Iggy: "Don't trifle with me. Don't try this rough stuff with me," OMG!! Is that what passes for smak talk at Harvard???

As far as the "record deficits" does Iggy mean the deficits the LIBERALS forced on the CPC and Canadians with their threats to form the coalition? And by the way, the Liberals were talking about running deficits of $80 Billion in EACH of the next two years when they joined the Seperatist Coalition.

Brady- Fight is Iggy & Layton 4 oppostion status
Ignatieff fight is with the NDP to see who will be the Official opposition.

Jack get ready to move into Stornoway, Iggy is going back to teaching 1st year colledge kids.

Mark in MB
Harper is desperate, attacking some one for being smart enough to have taught at some of the best schools in the world. Scares me, who would think a smart politician is possible? Think I'll vote Liberal for a change.

TP
Tony from Oakville - you hit the nail on the head.

I have no problem with someone living out of Canada, but when you come back and run for parliament, the leadership of the party and sign a request for a coalition Government in which you know you are going to become PM soon (all less than within 5 years) SOMETHING IS FISHY.

I personally don’t care for either CONS or LIBS. But at least with Harper, he sticks to his issues and doesn’t flip flop. Ignatieff is not really trusted.

Sorry Count, but you aren't one Count (the other being from sesame street) that can "count" on my vote.

Naveed
These Conservative attack ads won't work against Ignatieff. Harper thinks he can fool Canadians again, as he did with Dion.
The truth is, as Ignatieff says, the Conservatives don't have a thing against the Liberals and can just use false personal attacks which will be ineffectual.

Ian K
The real point about Ignatieff being out-of-country so long is that he has inevitably lost touch with the country's politics. It also shows a lack of commitment to Canada - just like Dion's retaining his dual French-Candian citizenship.

Ignatieff returns from abroad and before he has gained any real experience in parliament, he thinks he can be leader of the country. That's a sign of arrogance and high-octane ego.

If he is the best the Liberals have to offer (and he is), the Liberals are in deep trouble.

The long absences and lack of commitment to Canada are what makes him unfit to be PM - and the same would make anyone else unfit as well.

Tyson: Light Weight Left Wing Championship Bout
For the Left wing championship of Toronto.
In this corner weighing in at 126 pounds wet 64 yrs old from backwater Kansas Ignatieff also known as meme and this Corner from Toronto Ontario weighing in at 180 lbs of campaigning machine Jack Layton.
Lets get ready to Rumble

GF
Well, I'm sure the Conservatives would LOVE to atack the Liberals policies, but they don't have any yet.

If anyone is interested, google the name Warren Kinsella. This guy is a scumbag. He was kicked out of the Liberal party and brought back by Ignatieff. They say people are judged by the company they keep, and that ain't good for Iggy in this case.

Naveed
I'd also like to add that all Canadians should remember that Harper was a strong ally of the former right-wing Bush Republican administration in the States. And backed them up in their foreign policy.
As leader of opposition Harper also praised that American governing system to the detriment of our Canadian values, and the Conservatives believe in less government and more free enterprise/privatization.
So WHO is more American. Harper or Iggy?

Jim at U of T
Ignatieff returned to Canada for the subsidized university education then left again.

jacobo
Mr.Ignatieff, it seems like we can not trust you neither, because you want do to harper as he do to you, and that's agains GOD'S word,,Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are theeunto called, that ye should ingerit a blessing 1 peter 3,9,,, I ask friend lets pray for our Goverment,,, AMEN

Dunny from Manotick
I lived outside of Canada for almost a decade and came back to Canada because it was where I wanted to live, not for a job opportunity. Being Prime Minister of Canada is simply a job opportunity for Iggy. He has no passion for Canada.

Rob
I will bet that everyone of you complaining about the government have never left your back yard! Maybe take a trip to the west or down to the maritimes and find out what Canada is really about and who built this country we call Canada. Some of you guys don't even have a clue.
Hand outs and corruption,great legacy for our kids and grandkids. Grow up! Makes me ill reading some of this garbage!

Max
It is scary that the Tories consider worldliness and international experience, success and recognition to be BAD things.

That is why Harperites are scary - their platform and policies appeal to the smallest of minds... mouthbreathing knuckledragging neanderthals who have never left their home towns.