Liberals Still Out of Touch With Rural Canadians

May 07, 2008

This past weekend residents in and around Lindsay, Ontario had the opportunity to witness a rare sight – a senior Liberal trying to talk about rural Canadian issues.

Noted ivory-tower academic and Liberal Party Deputy Leader Michael Ignatieff dropped by to drum up support for the riding’s Liberal candidate whom he helpfully reminded the residents, was “not a complete carpet bagger.”

Equally tellingly, Mr. Ignatieff used the opportunity to showcase the Stéphane Dion Liberals’ new approach to rural issues.

A local media account summarized Mr. Ignatieff’s chit-chat as follows

“ Ignatieff discussed the gun registry and how it angered rural residents. The Liberal government will have to learn from that and continue to regain the trust of rural citizens, Ignatieff added. He said they will do this by installing policies that promote Canadian produce.” (The Lindsay Post, May 6th, 2008)

Confessing rural Liberal candidates are, in part, “carpet baggers”…

Admitting that the Liberal failed long-gun registry was offensive to rural Canadians…

Acknowledging that rural Canadians are alienated from the Liberal Party’s historic high-handedness while in the same breath asserting that new policies to sell vegetables was the answer to rural Canada’s woes...

It is clear that Mr. Ignatieff and the rest of the patronizing, out-of-touch, Stéphane Dion Liberals just have not learned. Rural families are used to being treated as an afterthought by the Liberal Party. Under Mr. Dion, these same families are wondering whether they are receiving any thought at all.

In the next election, rural families, and all Canadians will have a clear choice. Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservative Government will always support rural Canadians and oppose failed policies like the Liberal long-gun registry that unfairly discriminated against rural families. In contrast Stéphane Dion and the Liberals will continue to put the needs of big city special interest groups ahead of rural Canadians.

Stéphane Dion. Not a leader. Not worth the risk.