I was in Toronto and Ottawa last week to launch my book critiquing Michael Ignatieff's career as a public intellectual. Coincidentally, Peter C. Newman's book on Ignatieff's disastrous tenure as Liberal leader was also released last week. Much of the media discussion has focused on Newman's pronouncement about the "death" of the Liberal Party.

Ignatieff himself even chimed in, or rather tweeted in, to the debate: "And no, I haven't read Peter Newman's book. As for 'the death of the Liberal Party,' please... It will outlive us all."

The new Sun TV "news" Network seems to be lacking credibility from top to bottom.

Cross-posted from Catch 22 Harper Conservatives.

Op-ed by John Deverell*

As Chantal Hebert points out so very clearly in today's Toronto Star, the moment of democratic choice for Michael Ignatieff and the Liberal Party of Canada finally has come. 

It's precipitated in the Ontario federal riding of Vaughan where ubercop Julian Fantino has volunteered to carry the Harper Conservative banner in an upcoming by-election.

A friend of mine is a hard working politician who knocks on people's doors, even when he's not out on the hustings, just to ask his constituents how life is going.

The complaint Peter Tabuns, MPP for Toronto-Danforth, hears frequently is the dearth of quality child care.

Michael Ignatieff is correct that the deficit should not be used as pretext for "[shutting] down discussion in this country about social justice", but when it comes to child care promises, the Liberals have been making this announcement for at least the past 17 years.

What the Liberals need to learn from the NDP

The Liberals' Red Book of 1993, drafted largely by Paul Martin, promised a national child care program.

When I heard that Stephen Harper was suddenly taken with a desire to promote maternal health as the key issue for the G8, I have to admit to being perplexed.  I don't think I've ever heard Harper talk about women's issues. Behind the scenes his government, which of course means him, has not only cut funding to most women's groups and the most progressive NGOs like Alternatives and Kairos but have eliminated the word "equality" from their women's bureau.  Harper is no doubt that most anti-feminist PM we have ever had.