The Ignatieff promise: a Knowledge Society
Saturday afternoon in Vancouver, Michael Ignatieff delivered a speech that was powerful, compelling and inspirational. It may go down as a high water mark for modern political speeches in Canada, harkening back in its compelling effectiveness to the days of Pierre Trudeau.
I am not one who sees Ignatieff as another Trudeau, for better or for worse. This guy is his own man. Yet he brought to the podium today a sense of history, vision, and purpose that we haven’t seen in federal politics for a very long time.
I was a Stephane Dion delegate at the Liberal convention in Montreal in 2006. Ignatieff’s loss to Dion is probably the best thing that has happened to him, and the Liberal party, since his return to Canada and his entry on the Canadian political scene.
The intervening two and one-half years have given Ignatieff the time to hone his political skills, prove his loyalty, and establish himself as a formidable alternative to Stephen Harper.
I was struck by Ignatieff’s appeal to the couragous spirit of Canadians — “the people of Vimy Ridge, Juno Beach, and the deserts of Kandahar.” He added:
“In a world filled with hate, we remain a light unto the nations…We are a courageous people (who) deserve a courageous government.”"
Ignatieff’s speech was full of promise for national unity and prosperity, built on a vision of a Canada dedicated to science and education.
His partisan soundbites were effective, and left the delegates smiling. He told them that the Liberal party in Opposition was fighting to protect Canadians, and in government would lead the nation back to prosperity.
I thought the most meaningful part of his speech dealt with the focus he would put on education as a key strategy of an Ignatieff government.
“Our strategy (for economic recovery) will be to create a society where learning is a way of life and learning is lifelong. … a knowledge society where what counts is what you know, not who you know.”
He promised a country where “every student who gets the grades gets to go on to the best education in the world.”
Ignatieff spoke of a group of students in his Etobicoke Lakeshore riding who surprised themselves by their success in building a communications facility to speak to the astronauts on the International Space Station.
“If you ask what I want for my Canada it is this –that we surprise ourselves. Astonish ourselves. That we astonish the world.”
I have always thought that the first job of a leader is to help people to feel good about themselves and their accomplishments. Judging from the way the delegates reacted to his upbeat, positive message, Ignatieff is clearly trying to do this.
And as any Liberal politician must, Ignatieff ended his speech with the mandatory declaration that Stephen Harper has failed Canada.
Pierre Trudeau promised Canada a Just Society, and brought us a long way toward that goal. Michael Ignatieff’s vision seems to be for a Knowledge Society. If his commitment is as firm as his vision, and if he gets the chance to execute on it, Canada will be a much better place.
