Categories: Need to know

Harper challenges Ignatieff to debate

‘Any time, any place’: Ignatieff

by macleans.ca on Wednesday, March 30, 2011 4:39pm - 61 Comments

Stephen Harper opened the door on Wednesday to a televised one-on-one debate with Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff. In response to question about Green party leader Elizabeth May’s exclusion from the leaders’ debates, Harper said the Conservatives were open to several possible scenarios, including “a debate between Mr. Ignatieff and myself, since, after all, the real choice in this election is a choice between a Conservative government or an Ignatieff-led government that all of these other parties will support.” Ignatieff welcomed the idea. “Any time, any place,” he responded. “Mr. Harper has proposed a debate between the two of us, I am there. I am available.” Harper nevertheless noted the final decision on the format of any televised leaders’ debate rests with broadcast consortium responsible for airing it.

Montreal Gazette

Tags: Election 2011

ektar_w

Looks like Harper is already trying to back down from this one, just tweeted this to @M_Ignatieff "curiously, my team proposed 1:1 to TV consortium today; however, your team did not speak up." What utter crap. I don't see how he avoid having a debate with Ignatieff now without looking incredibly foolish.

psiclone

are you kidding looks like Iggy's team went GULP ! oh nooooo! our man just blew it big time :) .. this is what happens when Iggy goes off script

sammy

I think Harper will wash the floor with him, although Ignatieff is no fool.I just dont think he knows enough about how this country had been running,I guess thats a backhanded compliment for iggy

tdotlib

Have you seen Iggy off script? This is a man who has made his living on thinking deeply about issues and then putting them out to the world. He will not be lightweight in a debate but if the CPC underestimates him, that only works in the LPC favor, as WK would say.

psiclone

have you ever read one of his books? – I tried … zzzzzzzzzzz
Patchouli

I have a feeling harp's book on hockey would be more up your alley. You don't even have to be literate to read an imaginary book.
sammy

I have,I wasn't terribly impressed, perhaps you impress more easily.Lecture lecture lecture, and when he tried to be funny, he wasn't

west newf

No Iggy is the chicken here.

ektar_w

I wonder how many people are actually going to believe that. I'm guessing not many beyond the borders of Harperland.
TimesArrow

Harper said the Conservatives were open to several possible scenarios, including “a debate between Mr. Ignatieff and myself, since, after all, the real choice in this election is a choice between a Conservative government or an Ignatieff-led government that all of these other parties will support.”

What no c.o.a.l.i.t.i.o.n.!! Realized you were firing blank ammo did you Mr H? At least a little anyhoo!

harebell

No it's co-opposition now.

Thwim

OH! I see.. so he wasn't proposing a one on one debate in addition to the regular debates, but rather instead of.

Suddenly the reasoning behind his initial proposal is much more clear.

TimesArrow

That's a sly observation on your part. Wonder if it's true?

Phil

There should be a two-hour, sitting down conversation, moderated by Rex Murphy.

talking about Canada, issues, ideas, values, etc. Taking questions from the national audience.

Mark

I agree. But the people answering those questions just shouldn't be politicians if we want a real genuine discussion that isn't dominated by one-line zingers.

Steve

I disagree. The politicians should talk to other politicians on video screens from different parts of Canada standing in front of their constituents in a series of one-line zingers. All parties should bring in more attractive female candidates. Drake can moderate.

danby

or Steve Paikin

David_M.

Awesome moderator.
DerekPearce

I would hugely prefer Paiken over Murhpy. Murphy, bless him, is still a tad too self-important. The ever-laid back Paiken is the very model of a modern major-moderator. Punning aside, I'm serious.

noob_goldberg

It's amazing that public television seems to produce the best moderators. The Americans always use PBS talent for their debates as well.

Thwim

Given the state of our politicos.. Jerry Springer would probably be more appropriate.

D.D.S

It hasn't gotten that bad……yet.

danby

I think it was john g who said earlier that he felt SH had more to lose from a one on one debate than he stood to gain.
I was thinking that Stephen Harper must have a slam dunk quote he's ready to pounce with- something he can trot out and slam his opponent with ala Mulroney /Turner "you had an option."
This is probably the toughest battle Mr Harper has been in, simply because he is now the one having to defend his record. I'm sure the allure of a big "game changer" is tempting to a man looking at his last shot at a majority.

sammy

Its where he does his very best work, I would pay to see this!

D.D.S

too bad it wasn't in governing….and then we wouldn't be in this situation

sammy

That isnt hand picked by the CBC!
Pierre

They should have a dance off instead. Stevie would pop and lock all over Ignatieff's Ivy League behind

DerekPearce

Hmmm, chubby robot dancing vs gangly robot dancing. Which would be more endearing? Hard to say…

http://twitter.com/matwilson6 @matwilson6

Harper knows how to debate?

http://betshort.com

I like it, if he wins the debate, he will be Canada's next PM.

If he loses, he can get a job at McDonalds -He might even become an assistant-manager in 2 or 3 years.

noob_goldberg

I read that letter twice and still don't really know what Mr. Livingstone is asking for.

Here's a tip: if you're sending a letter to MP's, don't make half of it an irrelevant quote, even from someone as intelligent as Spinoza, and make sure that the 'ask' is crystal clear. You're dealing with 22-year-old MP's staff; they don't have the first idea who Spinoza is and they're not good with nuance.

As an aside, what in the world does that have to do with the MISH debate?

Patchouli

And remember, please, no fisticuffs.

DerekPearce

For what it's worth, due to his "not here for you" long time experience in places other than Canada, I'd give that to Iggy. He may be a professor, but he's seen more in the world and maybe learned a few tips…

DerekPearce

Bring it. The Liberals should make hay out of this if Harper backs down and won't debate Iggy one-to-one. It's a win-win for the Libs. If Harp backs down, he looks chicken. If he does do a 1-1 only debate, it means he's acknowledged Iggy is the only worthy opponent.

luc

Yup. Heard the analogy on TV. Equivalent to challenging someone to a fight in a bar saying "Let me at him" before realizing that no one is holding him back.

chet

Maybe someone from the Star, CBC or Globe and Mail can moderate:

"First question for both, you have two minutes: Explain in your own words why Harper is evil."

craigola

"Let me be perfectly clear…," etc.
sursum

Steve Pakin at TVO is about the best.
Reverend_Blair

"Explain in your own words why Harper is evil"

I'm guessing some sort of childhood trauma.

Stewart_Smith

Thim has (I think) nailed it above.

If the only debate is one on one, bold faced lies work… he says, he says…. Harper hasn't left the country, Ignatieff knows how to skate, call it a draw

In the multiparty debate, all of a sudden Jack and that Bloc guy start taking about coalitions with Stephen… things get messy.

TimesArrow

IImportant point for the libs to remember and not get sucked in. One on one and a multi player debate or stick to the original format. But don't you think one on one is a big risk for Harper[ Iggy too...but he has nothing to lose] Or is he so confident and so far ahead he can afford the risk of opening the door for Ignatieff?

filturk

Ignatieff taught at Harvard, Oxford and Cambridge. He is a very smart, intelligent, erudite, polished and eloquent speaker, besides being a master rhetorician. He would literally drown Harper in an improvised one-on-one debate and leave him in the dust, guaranteed.

filturk

He can also communicate extremely well in layman's terms, meaning he can easily get his point across the whole spectrum of the electorate.

TimesArrow

I doubt it. I'm not knocking Ignatieff. In a straight up academic debate he would likely win quite handily. But this is politics. It's about looking for advantage over your opponent – Harper's proved he's good at that [ witness QP]
Where Ignatieff might get him is if he can push Harper into an area he's not comfortable with or has not prepared properly for. Harper is not a good improvisor. Get him off message, he's vulnerable for sure. But don't forget the other guy get's to ask questions too.

TimesArrow

C'mon macleans warn the spammers off at least.
indygestion

a real objective and quick look at the election so far: http://theindependent.ca/2011/03/30/through-the-f…
Gary

Harper without a script or advance questions would be in the same league as Bush. Iggy at least can think for himself and would promise to be a very interesting debate with dramatic results. Perhaps a replay of Mulroney's defeat of Turner with that one historic question. Hope Harper does not chicken out. I bet he will chicken out . What I am waiting for are the lame excuses he will dream up. He is good at that.
D.D.S

I'll see you a poll and raise you one…….the only poll that matters is on may2…but keep on keeping on….whatever makes you feel secure
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/otta…
D.D.S

and just a little desperate….no?
Matt

Harper is nothing more than an academic turned politician himself – only difference is, Harper isn't Ivy League, and rather than have a collection of written books (like Ignatieff), Harper has been writing a book (for 15 years now) about Hockey (a game he could never play because of asthma). I guess it's like they say. Those who can do. Those who can't, well, they go on to run the new Alliance, I mean Conservative Party.

harebell

I've never understood why the right target Ignatieff for his "academic" life. Most of the Tory front bench are nothing more than policy wonks who have either had publicly funded jobs since leaving college or have received welfare by serving on think tanks or acting as another politician's understrapper.
The biggest bunch of self serving elitists "sucking at the public tit" out there are folk like Baird, Harper et al.
Gary

Suggesting that Harper is an academic is ironic considering his clear and unequivocal anti intellectual stance. He is more in the league of Sarah Palin.

luc

Harper's challenge didn't come out like he intended. His intent was to score political points by debating "The leader of the coalition"

If Ignatieff accepts which Harper didn't expect, then Ignatieff also accepts the mantle of the coaltion. Only Ignatieff accepted as leader of the Liberal party, leaving out the other opposition parties.
It was a bad move by Harper.

Now you know why he screens his questions and limits press access. He needs to control the message. He was unprepared for this one.
craigola

Is it wrong to prefer to see a bare knuckle boxing match?
Mark

Ignatieff would probably have the reach advantage, but Harper is pretty shifty.

If all the leaders took part, I think Layton would win. Crazy beats tough nearly every time.
sammy

Layton is off his game.I heard him speak, he sound weak, due to poor health.But his one liners are boring
craigola

What do one liners have to do with a bare knuckle boxing match?
noob_goldberg

For the pre-match weigh-in banter, of course.
craigola

Ah yes. Thank you.
Prairieanne

Isn't this headline distorting what happened. I believe Mr. Ignatieff first brought up the subject of a debating Mr. Harper face to face.
TimesArrow

I think you're right there.
burlivespipe

Which makes Harper's impossible pre conditions all the more laughable… He steals the idea of a man-to-man debate (ala the John Howard speech) then proceeds to make like Toller Cranston in skating away from it.
Me thinks I hear many hearts breaking in CONtown…