DRUMMONDVILLE, Que. – Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff seized on a recent blunder by federal Conservatives as he urged Canadians Tuesday to turn away from what he described as Stephen Harper’s divisive approach to politics.
Speaking to what appeared to be his smallest crowd of the campaign in this central Quebec town, 100 km east of Montreal, Ignatieff blasted the prime minister for allowing a pair of women to be ejected from a Conservative rally because of their political allegiance.
The pair was asked to leave because of their links to Liberals and New Democrats on the social networking Facebook site.
Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff greets a crowd of supporters at the Rose Drummond in central Quebec.
Although it prompted an apology from the Conservatives, it has provided new fuel for their opponents.
“This little story I’m telling you about tells you everything you need to know about Stephen Harper’s approach to politics,” Ignatieff said to a crowd of dozens of supporters in what has long been a sovereignist stronghold.
“He divides the world into friends and enemies. You’re either with him or you’re against him. And if you’re against him everything is permitted. Everything is allowed.”
Ignatieff said he chose this region for the next few stops of his campaign since it is close to where his family first arrived in Canada several decades ago.
“When I speak of hope, this is what I mean,” he said. “This is my Canada. This is the part of the world where it all started again for a family of Russian refugees who lost everything in the Russian revolution, came to England, it didn’t work out, came here and then started again.”
He said it contrasts with what he has seen from Harper’s political tactics.
“This vision of politics in which all is permitted including violating the rights of a young Canadian who wanted to come to a political meeting tells you… why we must defeat Stephen Harper on the second of May.”
He added that he would always fight against the Quebec sovereignist cause, but not by treating its advocates as enemies.
“They are my adversaries and they are also my brothers and my sisters,” he said. “They are also citizens of Canada who always respected democracy.”
He added that he also respects Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe but is urging Quebecers to turn away from that party since it cannot follow through on its words with actions in government.
“There are no enemies in the Canadian house,” Ignatieff said. “This is really important. This is what democracy is really about.”
Ignatieff is scheduled to make several stops in the Eastern Townships region Wednesday before winding up his day in the Montreal region.
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