In Which Ignatieff Shows Rhetorical Skill.

After criticising Michael Ignatieff yesterday, I thought I'd complement him today. No new policy yet, but at least he showed some evidence of rhetorical ability when he asked Peter Mackay why prisoner transfers between Canadian Forces and Afghanistan have been halted three times. This was Mackay's answer:

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question,” he said. “As he would know, and as he has indicated, decisions to stop transfers are operational decisions taken on a case-by-case basis in a theatre of operations by military personnel. In this instance, and it is now on the government web site, there were three operational decisions taken that resulted in pauses of transfers. Most recently, I want to indicate, the reason that the transfers stopped was because the Afghan officials were not living up to their expectations, not living up to the expectations set out in the transfer arrangements. The decision to stop was based on the fact that they were not living up to those expectations.”

To which Mr Ignatieff responded, rightfully: “Mr. Speaker in other words it is reasonable to assume that detainees were being abused.”

Further evidence we need an inquiry.

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