Why is it that Canadians don't get a warm and fuzzy feeling when they consider Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff as Canada's next prime minister?He's smart enough to be prime minister and his party, with a few exceptions here and there, has dominated Canadian politics for more than a century.
Still, when Canadians go to the ballot box again they will find it hard to vote for the Liberals and Ignatieff because there's just something about him that many don't like. Then again, considering his main rival – sitting prime minister Conservative Stephen Harper – is not all that popular Canadians will have to either consider the possibility of an NDP government in Ottawa or hold their noses and vote for one of the other two.
Ignatieff recently commenced a cross-country tour that didn't get off to a great start when the leader's main tour bus broke down. While the problem was soon fixed and the tour quickly resumed there are probably more than a few pundits wondering if the same can be said for his aspirations to be prime minister.
The Conservatives were very effective last election at questioning Ignatieff's loyalties to Canada. Considering how successful they were, don't be surprised if the personal attacks continue because, for some reason, Canadians tend to accept them as the truth.
In the coming weeks and months before parliament resumes, Ignatieff faces the tough task of cracking that outer shell that Canadians don't seem to like and warming himself to those people who may very well hold his political future in their hands.
He needs to show Canadians that he is the alternative to Harper's Conservatism and he needs to prove to the electorate that he's not the highly educated bogeyman the Tories have made him out to be.
At the same time, he needs to clearly show Canadians he is the alternative and that an NDP coalition is not a viable fallback. Canadians want a clear choice at the ballot box, not something that's as clear as muddy water.
