Beyond The Commons

 Beyond The Commons

Aaron Wherry covers all the goings-on in and around Parliament Hill. Follow Aaron on Twitter: @aaronwherry

Categories: Beyond The Commons, Capital Read

Go home

by Aaron Wherry on Monday, March 14, 2011 11:50am - 15 Comments

Ian Austen profiles Michael Ignatieff for the New York Times.

Like many of the ancestors in his mother’s family who went abroad, Mr. Ignatieff concluded that he would never be fully a part of life in either of his adopted homes in London and Cambridge, Mass. “I know quite a bit about expatriation,” he said. “You always hit a glass ceiling.”

In Britain, that realization came when he was told that he would not be given a television project because he was Canadian. In the United States, it was more a matter of gradual alienation. Mr. Ignatieff said he found the debates in the last decade about stem cell research, abortion and public health care almost baffling. “What are they arguing about?” he recalled thinking. “I don’t want to overstate this, as I love American politics. But you do come up that it’s not your home.”

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  • peter

    I won't bother to read it but if Obama's house organ says it, it must be true.

  • OriginalEmily1

    Yes, the UK, the US and Canada are very different, in spite of efforts to promote us as some 'anglo-saxon' monolith.

  • wilson
    • Halo_Override

      Go home.

    • psiclone

      I almost feel sorry Michael : think about it all those years and all that effort wasted while pining away for home … wait a sec .. didn't he say while he was away that the only thing he missed about his first home in canada was Algonquin Park hahahahahaha! – how much you wanna bet that clip is waiting and ready for the debate if any ever happens – well no doubt soon he will have a little more time to spend there as after all it doesn't look like he will be leader of the party for very long unless of course there is no election in which case he might make it another year we shall see -

      • bennji1977

        Have you ever been to Algonquin Park?

  • wilson

    The media seem to be struggling with why Canadians haven't 'cottoned' to MI.

    The short clip of MI blowing kisses to his adoring audience is the most damaging element of the attack ads.
    Repulsive, actually. This is Canada, eh.

    Coupled with the ruthless bloodless coup of a genuinely decent man (Dion for those Liberals who have forgotten their last 'elected' leader),
    and then followed with proof of zero political experience or instinct.
    (the American drawl doesn't help either)

    It's not just one thing,
    it's the Ignatieff package.
    Right guy for the media,
    wrong guy for the little guy.

    • CAPS

      If you are the same wilson who commented on these macleans.ca blogs back in 2008 then you along with a number of the usual suspect Conbots said some of the vilest personal attacks about M. Dion.

      Stéphane Dion is a truly decent man and I, for one, do not think he has finished contributing to this country.

      • bennji1977

        I agree, absolutely disgusting what happened to Dion……….How is Mr. Duffy enjoying living off the public teet

      • Thwim

        It's disheartening to see the kind of absolutely blatant hypocrisy that folks like wilson commit with what seems to be absolutely zero discomfort. That said, it's been on display long enough that pointing it out now is unlikely to change the behavior, or even get an acknowledgement of it.

        Personally, I'd like to see ID take up a Slashdot style of moderation. It seems to work reasonably well for making the most obvious liars invisible to all but those who want to seek them out.

  • Tceh

    I like the fact that Iggy has some life experience beyond the Canadian borders especially when compared to our current PM who's pre-politics international experience is comprised of working in the mailroom of Imperial Oil. I'm not sure that even counts but presumably Harper met some Americans while at Esso delivering mail.

    It's ironic that the Conservatives attack Iggy's americaness while at the same time Harper embrace American policy, would rather interview on Fox News than a Canadian network, and constantly looks to transform Canada into US North.

  • Crit_Reasoning

    “I know quite a bit about expatriation,” he said. “You always hit a glass ceiling.”

    Ignatieff is also learning quite a bit about repatriation. He's about to discover whether it has a glass ceiling, too.

  • Claudia Lemire

    Agreed !!

  • Prairieanne

    Now that's witty. Thanks for the chuckle.

  • austinso

    It's only in Harper-bizzarro-land and among its vacuous minions that glass ceilings exist for repatriated Canadians.

    In the real world, in every sector of business and academia, repatriated Canadians are sought and welcomed with open arms for their experience and expertise…

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