General

Ignatieff “would have preferred a different result”

Liberal vote is defeated… by Liberals

It was the vote Liberals had been waiting for. When it was done, the ever-demure Michael Ignatieff said only that he “would have preferred a different result.” On Tuesday night, Canadian MPs voted on whether or not to support family-planning initiatives that fell within Canadian aid projects abroad. The Liberals forced the vote, hoping to peel support away from Stephen Harper, whose government raised concern with its hard line against funding for family planning schemes. But things didn’t play out according to the Liberal plan. The measure was defeated 144-138. What’s more: more than a dozen Liberals didn’t even show up to cast a vote, and three Liberals voted with Conservatives. Ignatieff brushed aside speculation that his leadership rests on fragile grounds: “I don’t think my troops are shooting at me.” Still, Tuesday’s vote have Liberals and Conservatives alike asking: just where were those missing Liberal MPs?

CBC News

Toronto Star

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