Michael Ignatieff came under attack from NDP Leader Jack Layton for the Liberals’ decision to support the extension of Canada’s mission in Afghanistan until 2014.
Ignatieff and Layton were replying to a question by a viewer about how Canada can regain its stature on the world stage. The viewer asked if Canada should play a more “prominent and active role” internationally.
Ignatieff said Canada had lost its stature internationally by losing a bid for a seat on the U.N. Security Council, and turning last summer’s G8-G20 summits into a “fiasco.”
But Layton attacked Ignatieff for supporting the extension of the Afghanistan mission for three more years. “You’re Mr. Harper’s best friend,” said Layton.
Ignatieff defended his party’s decision to support the extension, arguing that improvements such as better education for Afghans can’t happen until security is established. “You can’t do any of that unless you help them to defend themselves,” he said.
When the debate brought in the other leaders, all three opposition leaders challenged Harper to produce the final report by Auditor General Sheila Fraser into a $50-million fund to invest in the Muskoka region during the G8 summit.
“Bring it out. What are you afraid of?” Ignatieff said.
Harper said Canada has been “engaged” and leading internationally on several fronts, including by pushing for a climate-change accord that commits all countries to concrete carbon-reduction targets.
But Ignatieff said Canada can’t promote democracy abroad unless the Harper government improves its respects for democracy at home.
“Let some flowers bloom here,” Ignatieff said. “You are a man who will shut down anything you can’t control.”
