Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Programs. Get your Programs. You can't tell the players without a program

And so the new Liberal Team is unveiled.

The new recruits include:

-Mario Lague, one-time communications director to former prime minister Paul Martin, former diplomat and former senior bureaucrat. Lague will take over as Ignatieff's communications director. (updated with link to Stephen Taylor post)

-Pat Sorbara, a longtime organizer and former senior adviser in David Peterson's Liberal government in Ontario. Sorbara was named Ignatieff's chief operating officer.

-Brian Bohunicky, a former top ministerial aide during the Chretien years. He takes over the Liberal caucus research bureau and will be a senior policy adviser to the leader.

-Heather Chiasson, another Chretien-era organizer and longtime party worker. She will be Ignatieff's liaison with the party.

Donolo has also shuffled some of the aides who remained in the office after the exodus of the last couple of weeks.

Jean Marc Fournier, a former Quebec cabinet minister who had been advising Ignatieff on the province, becomes principal secretary. Jim Pimblett, formerly legislative assistant, becomes Ignatieff's executive assistant.

I will leave you with the money quote from the above article "Ignatieff fired longtime supporter Ian Davey as his chief of staff several weeks ago, amid plunging poll numbers, repeated miscues and flip-flops." Because we all know that the mess that the Liberals are in could not possibly be the fault of Ignatieff himself.



From Peter Donolo's letter to Liberals (pdf) announcing the above changes:(highlighting mine)

In Michael Ignatieff, we Liberals have a leader of truly international standing. He understands the huge, long term economic challenges our country is facing – and the tremendous human cost they are already exacting across Canada under a callous, uncaring, incompetent government. And he knows that our future depends on innovative thinking and caring, engaged leadership to enable our country to secure the industries and jobs of tomorrow - and the prosperity and the strong, vital social programs that go with them.

Our job in the OLO is to help Mr. Ignatieff and his Liberal Team across Canada bring that message of hope and change to Canadians in the months ahead.

Peter Donolo.


Attacks and borrowed catch phrases. The same old same old from the new and improved 'old Liberals' now running the show for Ignatieff. A man who has never ran or organized anything more complex than a study group.


16 comments:

maryT said...

So, one of the newbies if from Agriculture Canada. And where is Warren K.
Is iffy going after the farm vote, or maybe the CWB.
The networks want us to go back to the 1950s via rabbit ears, so why not have the liberals go back 20 yrs to their days of glory. Not one of those newbies has ever worked for liberals in opposition. Big difference than at the trough.

Philanthropist said...

Team Corruption is in place, now all they need is a Treasury to plunder. Crooked Liberals.

maryT said...

Taylor has a new post up, showing how one of the newbies was hired by Paul Martin to cover up the sponsorship scandal. Other interesting info on the new gang and their connection to the sponsorship program, hiring Alphonso, and others.
Then today we have iggy in QP telling us that the United States is investing 6x/capita what the United States is investing, in the environment.

maryT said...

And yes, iffy did use the term United States both times.

Ardvark said...

Thanks MaryT. Post updated with link.

Rural and Right said...

I heard that Freudian slip by Iffy in QP today ... perhaps he was subconsciously wishing he was back at Harvard where he was always correct in his own mind.

CanadianSense said...

Why would anyone be shocked by the Liberals bragging about China or the US. For the Liberals anywhere but Canada is a better place.

Let's hope MI v2.1 with new script Hope and Change lasts long enough for Rick Mercer to produce a few more liberal spots. My fav is the Liberal GPS.

wilson said...

What's changed?
Donolo/Spinsella messaage is to keep on keepin' on with the evil incompetent Harper theme.
Wow, earth shaking stuff, eh.
not, but that is the decoy.

Cons have to keep pumping out policy (citizen book, lobbyist changes etc) every week.
Cover all the bases first,
leaving Iffy with Khadr and 10%ers to whine about.
That leaves all of Iffy's speeches falling on deaf ears,
Harper's been there, done that.

Ardvark said...

Nothing has changed Wilson, but now if the Liberal numbers do not improve there will be no one left to scapegoat for their problems other than their unelected leader Ignatieff.

Calgary Junkie said...

Let's see how the media plays this. They were churning out a lot of negative narratives about Iggy, up to when Donolo got hired. Then we were told that Iggy must have a lot still going for him, seeing as he was able to bring aboard a top-notch guy like Donnolo.

OK fine, whatever. So the media hit the reset button with Iggy. We'll see how long this rehabilitation project of the media lasts. My guess is that the LPC poll numbers will have to quickly get back around 30 %, for this rekindled love affair to continue.

Jen said...

THEY ARE BAAAAACK!!!!

ADSCAMS -CHRETIENS- HOLD ON TO YOUR MONEY DON'T PUT IN THE E.I.
THEY WANT YOUR MONEY TO BUY STUFF FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR MEDIA.

BTW, Obama admitted that he is a MUSLIM before correcting himself that he is a Christian.

Jen said...

As long as we have these national media like CBC,CTV G/M T/S, CANADA will NOT progress; they do not want to see you happy proud elated. They don't care about you me troops nor the immigrants.
These medias have been in bed with the liberals and in comfort to ruin it.

When was the last time these stood by you against the LPOC-NEVER.
When was the last time these medias ever ask the lpoc for our money back-about the $54B E.I. SCANDAL-again, Never.
We need another National Media a Conservative FOX to reveal to innocent canadians what the LPOC did with our money and country.
The NATIONAL MEDIAS want to keep you ignorant. COME ON GUYS, if these morons don't want to do the job then we will by taking the LPOC corruption, scandals to 'foreign medias- this is the only way.

maryT said...

How ironic, the day Donolo announces the return of the libranos, Transparency International comes out with their report, Canada is the least corrupt country in the Americas, and have moved from 14 to 8 in another category. NNW.
Steven Fletcher brought this up today in the House of Commons.
What has changed, no liberal government.

Jen said...

No Mary, It is because the liberal media throughout the years kept the LPOC corruption and scandals at a very very low key. Also we didn't have international media poking around which made things easier for the LPOC and their to carry on with their scheme..
And we still don't have a proper media.

Pissedoff said...

Same old same old, but will we get our money back from this crooked bunch? Don't hold your breath.

Jen said...

Pissedoff said... Tue Nov 17, 09:25:00 PM

Same old same old, but will we get our money back from this crooked bunch?

NO! They have to pay their 'crooked media' first, for being good boys and girls and for doing an excellent job in keeping the LPOC scandal as secretive as posible.