I can't see it being anything other than a naked power grab. The Liberals weren't going to threaten the government at the start of the summer, so long as the Conservatives made concessions on those EI panel whatzits. And now they're ready to pull the plug? Nothing has changed between then and now, so this is all about failed EI negotiation committees? Uh, no.

Seeing Iggy on the news last night recite this litany of problems -- jeez. They were fine with all these indignations a couple of months ago. But what really set me off was his condemnation of the Conservatives for their treatment of Canadians abroad -- presumably meaning those two cases of citizens stuck in Kenya, where it's still not entirely clear what happened -- and -- AND -- he had the nerve to mention Omar Khadr.

There's plenty of blame and shame to go around on those cases, particularly Khadr, and if the Liberals think that'll make for a good campaign strategy, they're in for a rude awakening.

Canadians aren't dumb with these things, and Iggy (I'm convinced) isn't the saviour a lot of Liberals think he is. Power grabs have always been punished in Canadian politics, and I wouldn't see this as any exception.

They see a dead heat, they see Canada pulling out of the recession, and they don't want the Tories to be given credit for it. Only timing, no principle.

Couple of seats change, and we're right back here where we started, and the Liberals are adrift once again, and the Conservatives filled with pride and hubris, unable to recognize that their success is attributable to nothing but a lack of a better alternative.

IMHO.

I don't understand whey the Liberals would even threaten to do this. If it doesn't work out, they look like fools. You don't try to topple a government unless you're pretty sure you can do it.

I think that Chantal Hebert has it right (again):
[url=http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/689721]But it is the contention of Liberal strategists that the current poll deadlock between their party and the Conservatives will not be decisively broken, or at least not in Ignatieff's favour, until the public has a chance to see the Liberal leader in campaign action.

They argue the supportive role of the minority government that the parliamentary situation has forced upon him hampers Ignatieff from showing Canadians what he and his policies are really made of.[/url]

It's a hell of a gamble, and one I'm sure will not pay off. Iggy (to me) has never seemed like as strong a leader and campaigner as people say he is -- he comes across as forced and insincere. He doesn't read anything that isn't scripted, which is fine if you can deliver a line, but he can't. Against the boring certainty of a Harper, they need much more of a firebrand. To have this hope in 'you don't know him like I know him' is a little naive and disdainful.

Borked the link. Sorry.

I agree that this doesn't seem to make any sense - if they want Canadians to see Iggy in campaign action, they should at least wait until they have an issue or issues that will resonate more strongly than what they have now.