Angry in the Great White North

Michael Ignatieff was the Director of the Carr Centre for Human Rights Policy at Harvard when he was recruited to run in the 2006 federal election in Canada.

Why?

Clearly he was told that he was destined for greater things than the life of a backbench MP. This is just a guess, but I figure he was promised one of two things.

First, given that the Liberals would win over the Conservatives, a top position in cabinet would be his, with time to establish himself and create a power base to support a leadership bid when Paul Martin inevitably stepped down. I don't think anyone was labouring under the assumption that Martin would be long for politics, regardless of whether the Liberals won the 2006 election.

Second, in the highly unlikely event that the Liberals would lose, Paul Martin would certainly retire, clearing a way for an immediate run for the leadership, and ultimately, the job as prime minister when the Liberal Party returned to power, as was its right and destiny.

Both promises remain unfulfilled.

When it came to the election, the Conservatives were able to rally enough people and win the vote. No cabinet post for Ignatieff. Ignatieff could hardly blame the Liberal Party for that -- elecions happen, and sometime you lose.

But the second promise? That is all Liberal. The rookie MP throws his hat in the ring when Paul Martin resigns. Then ignatieff watches as the Liberal Party rejects him, selecting Stephane Dion as leader instead.

Ignatieff is just this side of 60, so unless Stephane Dion has a Martinesque turn at leading the party, it might be years before there is another chance to go for the Liberal Party Crown. And by then, Justin Trudeau might be ready to make a go for the leadership.

So for Ignatieff, he must be wondering whether this is a dead end for him. It sure seems to be. Nothing from the party brass, nothing from he party rank-and-file, and the future not likely to change.

I'm betting some of those offers from Harvard and such are looking good right now. Assuming he has any such offers. Someone like Ignatieff can simply call up Harvard and get a job...for now. Spend a lot of years in opposition hell labouring in obscurity representing a middle-class middle-of-the-road riding having never experienced government, much less cabinet, and he might find his abiliy to write his own ticket in academia has disappeared too, along with his dreams of Sussex Drive.

Dreams sold to him by party power brokers currently making nice with Stephane Dion and his team.