Expediency of the Poltical Stripe

Too bad, really too bad when he was looking fairly attractive. If intelligence is a boost and academic credentials make it even better, aligned with a background of teaching international law and human rights, and what's better, believing in both, then he's your man. Aspirationally the next Prime Minister of Canada. For the moment, though, first step on the ladder to that achievement: Liberal party leadership candidate for the aspirational role.

Some may question his suitability to such high aspirations, given that he's been absent from Canada for decades, making his international reputation in Britain, then the United States, and viewing Canada from afar. But the political bug bit and evidently bit down hard, so here he is now in Canada, and having successfully run during the last federal election, he has a seat in the House of Commons representing a Toronto riding.

He looks good, he sounds good, he tries hard, he is determined. Not that the other Liberal leadership candidates present all that much of a challenge. Several superannuated former Liberal cabinet ministers in a previous, now-discredited government. Best of all, a former New Democratic Party leader who gave sound proof of his ability to govern as a former Premier of the Province of Ontario. What a line-up.

But they're running and they're serious about it, and running hard. Michael Ignatieff must have been fulminating to himself silently, cursing the day that he seemed to casually dismiss as the bad fortunes of war and happenstance the death of innocent civilians during the Israel-Lebanon war when Qana was bombed by the Israel Defence Force. Certainly his regard was badly soured by Muslims within Canada.

Certainly at the time he could have been assured that his initial reaction was a fairly reasoned one, given his theoretical experience, and his knowledge, even at a remove, of the characteristics of the two opposing groups and the provocations and circumstances which initiated hostilities. The Government of Israel made it clear that their forces faced an adversary who deliberately placed civilians in harm's way by drawing fire directly into densely populated areas. And the IDF had, before responding to the rockets lobbed its way, warned Lebanese civilians to leave the theatre of war.

Furthermore, it was later revealed that much of the carnage that the world viewed through videod footage of the event was staged. Yes, there were innocent civilian victims who died tragically in the attack, and yes that alone was deplorable. But the circumstances were trumped up, and the numbers who died were inflated beyond the truth. And the true facts of the event will always be open to conjecture.

But his response at the time ensured he made no friends among the French-Canadian population either. Bad karma. Quebec is a province that can deliver a lot of Liberal votes, and Quebecers were decidedly unhappy with his initial response. So, Michael, what do you do to woo back undecided voters who hang their alliances bright and bold in Quebec to the extent that they will stage a public and vocal parade of a protest condemning the "unprovoked use of force" by Israel against the poor Lebanese, holding aloft the flags and insignia of Hezbollah?

Why, months later, when you're feeling really, truly desperate to win and win at all costs, you do the politically expedient thing and apologize for the attitude and the words that look to cost you your aspirations. An interview on a popular Quebec talk show is as good a venue as any, and there you can apologize for your much-criticized comment on the state of the way war works, and condemn Israel for a "war crime".

"It was a mistake. I showed a lack of compassion. It was a mistake and when you make a mistake like that, you have to admit it," he told the French-language Radio-Canada program Tout le monde en parle. "I was a professor of human rights and I am also a professor of the laws of war, and what happened in Qana was a war crime, and I should have said that. That's clear."

Actually what is crystal-clear is your desperation to win over the reluctant votes of the Quebec electorate during a federal election. You're doing well now Michael; that was a stroke of brilliant timing. And you've also managed to please the Canadian Islamic Congress. Now Mohamed Elmasry too is taking back his earlier rash words of condemnation urging Liberals to choose anyone but you as their leader. At one stroke you've won back both French and Muslim voters. Nice going.

Ah, Michael, Michael. Such sincerity, Michael. What would your father say?