Earlier this week, Canadian Business blogger (and - disclosure note - friend and former colleague) Bryan Borzykowski warned Canadians not to expect too much in the way of exciting policy announcements from Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff at the party's convention, which begins tomorrow. That's because, as Borzykowski pointed out in an earlier post, Iggy had to go quickly into backpedal mode the last time he made a clear economic policy statement - the always-popular "raising taxes" refrain.
What does Iggy stand for? is the question Borzykowski poses, adding that we might have gotten closer to an answer if the once-expected leadership duel between Ignatieff and coulda-been-a-contendah- Bob Rae had ever materialized. Instead, what we'll get is bland platitudes, an orgy of self-congratulation and a nice, easy coronation for Iggy.
Which wouldn't be too, too much of a bad thing if it weren't for the fact that a lack of concrete ideas from the opposition Liberals allows Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper to similarly coast on a principle-free wave of political pragmatism. As Maclean's columnist Andrew Coyne wrote a couple of months back, Harper's been busy selling out conservative ideology in his quest to maintain and consolidate power, and Conservatives, disappointed though they may be at Harper's betrayal, haven't been given anything to latch onto by the Liberals.
Whether you lean left or right, this is poor era for Canadian politics - two major-party leaders trying to cling to an ephemeral ideological centre by shunning virtually any trace of ideology, while smaller parties with actual ideas, good and bad, wield disproportionate king-making power.
As the guy on top, Harper's not likely to be the one to blink first in this dull game of chicken. That means it's up to Ignatieff to take a risk. Say what you will about the ineffectual Stephane Dion - at least he was willing to make an ass of himself. Canadians could use more of that attitude from its politicians.
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