To address the actual story here; Stephen Harper had no reason whatsoever to even mention Michael Ignatieff in his response in the first place. Call it what it was, which was an opportunity to politically slam his biggest threat. Bad info or not, the whole comment was unnecessary and if he didn't have a damn clue what he was talking about, he shouldnt be talking about it. He IS your Prime Minister. An aide handed him information that would make Ignatieff look bad, and he ran with it. It wasnt a pertinent piece of information in regards to the question. He even pulled a 'if I could just speak to THIS issue for a moment...' which shows you it is unrelated and off topic. I just LOVE your view that it is deplorable how everyone 'jumped all over Harper for just a simple 'mis-characterization' of his own comment. I seem to remember a whole TV ad that played on a certain opponent's apparent mischaracterization of himself, and how anyone defending him was somehow less Canadian that any card carrying Conservative. This opinion is not isolated to this particular incident either, unfortunately. It has manifested itself in this wonderful country's foreign and immigration policy as well. I also take issue with your condescending attitude towards people who may have a left-leaning conscience. I love my country, and I would even venture far enough to say I love it more than you do. On what do I base that assumption, you may ask? On the same grounds you seem to; if your beliefs are different from mine, and therefore wrong, I must clearly be more of a patriot than you. Foolproof logic, eh? Tories can be just as 'snarky' and ignorant as any Liberal or Dip. They can be just as mean-spirited, and they can put just as much spin on anything, and are just as notorious for doing it! Dont think for a minute that your Conservative Party is any more benevolent than any other. They are not. I realize I was not involved in the least in this banter, but I felt compelled to speak out on David's defense here. Maybe I am in fact hurting his case here, seeing as I am pro-tax, pro-secular, anti-racist, pro-21st Century family, pro-choice, and, granted, VERY anti-elderly (but really, who DOESNT hate old people? Apparently, only the Conservatives). If so, I apologize, David.