Where's Harper? Where's Ignatieff? Where are my car keys?

Michael Ignatieff displays a renowned elitist beverage. (Jacques Boissinot/Canadian Press)

So this week's Liberal news conference hitter-of-the-week is Scott Brison. You know, the MP the Libs trot out to raise burning issues or to provide comment on the political news story of the day (and surprisingly this summer, there have been quite a few of those!)

 

Yesterday, Brison's issue du jour was a "Where's Waldo" theme directed at Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Brison argued that with all these major issues and policy changes happening ($16-million billion (oops!) fighter jets, scrapping the long-form census, concerns over leadership at the RCMP), the PM should be out and about, defending his government's decisions or handling of situations.

 

Brison's train of thought is that Harper is known as the man who calls the shots, so even if cabinet ministers are making announcements or appearing before committees, it's really the PM who is in charge. And so Brison asks, "Where's Harper?"

 

Brison, in all earnestness, is outraged that Harper has made only seven (!) public appearances in July (three of which were when the Queen was visiting). Meanwhile, his leader, Michael Ignatieff, has nobly spent three weeks on a bus tour, taking questions from the media and meeting "regular" Canadians, as well as chuggin' back a brew (see above photo.)

 

Honestly, it would be great for the news cycle if Harper came out to try to defend the census decision, or to say why Canada needs state-of-the-art, "fifth-generation" fighter jets. But it's not like the government is silent or offering "no comment." And I think most of us would agree even the prime minister is allowed to take a vacation and spend some time with his family (even if there was also that little matter of prorogation vacay back in January...)

 

But before anyone (Conservative or other) express indignation that the Liberals are even daring to question Harper's work ethic (Brison urged him to "get back to work"), it should be noted that last summer, one of the Conservatives' favourite talking points was "Where's Iggy?" when Ignatieff seemed to be bypassing the summer's political barbeque circuit.

 

Some might say it's a case of 'what goes around comes around.' Others might see it as 'imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.'

 

Maybe we could poll Canadians on that on the next census.