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bruce anderson

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff gives his closing speech at the party's policy conference in Montreal on March 28, 2010.Reuters

Polls continue to show that neither Stephen Harper nor Michael Ignatieff is doing much to arouse Canadian enthusiasm. Mr. Harper's avoidance of ideas that might excite voters, like it or not, at the very least has the appearance of being deliberate. Mr. Ignatieff, on the other hand, seems to be struggling to find a frequency that connects him to mainstream Canadians.

A couple of recent quotes help illustrate something about why the Liberal Leader is falling short. These are not meant as a critique on the substance of the ideas he's embracing, but a perspective on the way in which he is trying to marshall interest in them.

In his comments to the recent thinkers conference in Montreal, Mr. Ignatieff described the central questions that Liberals needed to pose and answer in order to win the hearts and minds of Canadians. He said Canadians are looking for a clear vision of the future that will answer such questions as:

"Will my kids enjoy the same standard of living we take for granted?

Will they have the education they need to get a decent job?"

This formulation of how Liberals will win the next election, to my eyes, doesn't hold huge promise. As tough as finding the answers may be, the Liberal Leader's first problem lies in the questions themselves. They just aren't very aspirational.

As bumper stickers go, "Holding our standard of living steady, and finding decent jobs" is not much to write home about.

How many parents will be inspired by the hope that their children won't fall behind the standard of living enjoyed by Mom and Dad. Whether rational or fanciful, isn't it a pretty reliable part of human nature that parents hope for a better future for their kids? Will people want to run out and elect a government that promises nothing better, but guarantees nothing worse?

Also, while some people may take their current standard of living "for granted" most people don't. Framing the point in this way risks alienating hardworking, take-nothing-for-granted Canadians who dream big dreams for their kids.

Hoping that our kids have the education they need to get a decent job might rally those who think our education system is fallling miserably short of that goal today, but that's not the prevailing view today. More important, that our kids will be able to get a "decent job," is what people hope will happen if all else fails. Can't an Opposition Leader embrace something a bit more lofty? To build excitement around ideas for improving our education system, Mr. Ignatieff will either have to create a much clearer sense of crisis, or paint a more vivid picture of what more we can do for our kids, and how much more they will accomplish as a result.

Mr. Ignatieff says that Liberals can't count on the Harper Conservatives to defeat themselves, and in this he is undoubtedly correct.

But if he's going to successfully take the challenge to them, he may need to bring his game up a notch or two, and work harder at building his narrative in a compelling and artful manner.

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