Michael Ignatieff was named deputy leader of the Liberal party yesterday in a move he said is part of a strategy to contrast the Opposition's "team play" with Stephen Harper's style of leading the minority Conservative government.
Mr. Ignatieff was named to the No. 2 post by Liberal leader Stephane Dion, who is to announce positions today for two of his other leadership rivals, Bob Rae and Gerard Kennedy. Mr. Rae, a Toronto lawyer and former premier of Ontario, will likely be put in charge of developing the Liberals' election platform.
Mr. Kennedy, a former Ontario education minister who campaigned on the need for party reform, will have a senior role in election readiness and organizing throughout the campaign.
"The cumulative effect of my appointment as deputy leader and the appointment of these others is to say this is a team and it forms a pretty stark contrast with Harper, who basically, as far as I can see, doesn't have a team," Mr. Ignatieff said in an interview.
Mr. Ignatieff, who led the leadership race for months but was defeated by Mr. Dion on the final ballot, said he looks forward to working with Mr. Rae, his closest rival until the closing hours of the leadership race. He called him "a very good choice" to develop the platform. Source...
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