Dear Mr. Ignatieff,

I am disappointed in your support of the coalition government. I have voted Conservative in the last two elections not because I identify myself as such, but because I was uncomfortable with Liberal leadership at the time. I consider myself just a tad right of center but a “centrist” nonetheless. In this last election I encouraged friends and family to once again vote Conservative for one simple reason: to ensure that Mr. Dion would be unsuccessful and consequently forced out of leadership. I knew the Conservative Party would not win a majority and within a few years we would be back at the polls. My hope was that you would win the Liberal leadership race and I would finally have choice. I felt that you best represented my values and interests and would bring the Liberal party back into relevance and closer to the center. I was excited about this possibility. I have watched your emergence on the Canadian political scene and was greatly disappointed when victory was stolen from you at the last Liberal leadership convention.

On the weekend I heard rumours that you were struggling with the idea of this coalition. I told my wife that this didn’t surprise me and I hoped you would publically voice your disproval for it and recognize it for what it is: opportunistic greed. I am not sure if these rumours were true but it no longer matters – you are publically supporting it. I had hoped that this would be your chance to differentiate yourself from the type of politician that Canada has been forced to get used to over the last six years. I thought you would stand for integrity and truth and demonstrate your courage to stand up for honesty. I am disappointed that you haven’t.

Mr. Ignatieff, this coalition has nothing to do with the economy. If it did, your party would have backed down when Mr. Harper rescinded the clauses on public financing for political parties, the right for civil servants to strike, and announced that there would be an early budget in January. If it did your party would recognize the impact an unstable government has on consumer confidence and the markets. Canada has withstood the economic downturn better than any industrialized nation. Whether you care to admit it or not this has much to do with the handling of our economy over the last two years under Conservative government. This is not a partisan statement – just a simple observation. Quite simply I do not feel your party’s response to this economic statement is reasonable or proportionate to the details within it. Over the last two years your party has chosen to sit on their hands during votes on Afghanistan, the environment, and immigration reform – issues far more significant than the recent economic statement. Issues on which your party publically opposed the Conservative government. Yet, it appears to the casual observer that when public funding for your party was threatened your party suddenly had the energy and passion to lose confidence in the government. Does public financing of political parties trump the environment? Afghanistan? This all leads me to believe that this coalition was weeks in the making.

I recognize Mr. Harper’s arrogance and stubbornness. However this alone is not a reason to form a coalition with a far-left party to be propped up by an outfit destined to separate from our country. You missed your chance to stand out as a true leader – something for which Canada is starving. I really thought you represented change but your poor judgment this week leads me to think otherwise.

You have lost my support Mr. Ignatieff and that disappoints me. I was excited to work on your behalf and voice my support in the next election. After your decision to support this coalition I will be unable to do so.