Ignatieff insists he won’t form coalition

Ignatieff rules out coalition government

Michael Ignateff:

“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.”

“There are many models [of minority governments]. We have minority parliaments and minority governments in the past that were among the most productive in the history of our country. Mr. Trudeau’s government. Mr. Pearson’s government… They were not coalition governments. They worked wonderfully well. They produced great results for Canadians.”

“As compared to Mr. Harper, I can work very well with people who have opinions that differ from mine.”

Ignatieff said he would present voters “with a very clear alternative” to the Conservatives, a “moderate government of the centre.”

“I have a certain credibility on the coalition issue. I could be standing here as the prime minister of Canada, I turned it down, we turned it down in January. I don’t think I need to give further proof of my feeling that that’s not what Canadians want. I agree with Canadians.”