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Michael Ignatieff says coalition governments are "perfectly legitimate" and he'd be prepared to lead one if that's the hand Canadian voters deal him in the next election.
But the Liberal leader says it would be disrespectful to voters and damaging to his party to try to strike any deals with the NDP before voters have spoken.
In an exclusive interview with The Canadian Press, Ignatieff dismissed talk of a merger or any sort of election non-compete agreement with the NDP as "absurd."
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Some of his previous positions:
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Last September, as the Tories were trying to revive the spectre of Liberals joining forces with "separatists and socialists," Ignatieff declared: "Let me be very clear. The Liberal party would not agree to a coalition. In January we did not support a coalition and we do not support a coalition today or tomorrow."
Just two weeks ago, talking points issued by Ignatieff's office asserted: "Liberals will campaign to form a Liberal government. We aren't interested in coalitions." The script further argued that "parties in Parliament can work together -- without forming a coalition."
In the interview, Ignatieff said he can't recall ever having categorically ruled out a coalition. He said he continues to adhere to the "coalition if necessary, but not necessarily coalition" line.
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In the short term, it will be good to have this issue behind him but I think this spells trouble for the Liberals in the next campaign. If it comes to just a few weeks left in a campaign and the polls indicate another minority, Ignatieff will be bombarded with questions about what NDP policies he would be prepared to accept. He'd be held hostage to whatever Jack Layton might say about conditions for NDP participation in a coalition government and he'll find it tough to talk about anything else.
Interesting times.