On the one hand Ignatieff was both entirely correct on freedom of religion being one of the fundamental rights in Canada, and his instincts to want to protect this is laudable. Moreover he came across as statesman-like in taking the position that he could support reasonable proposals in the Conservative Party Platform. It was a nice departure from the usual cat-fighting and gainsaying of a political campaign. On the other hand, the Conservative proposal does require consideration.
The Liberal MPs who initially criticized it did so primarily on the grounds that it was cynically motivated. The proposal was seen as nothing more than a crass attempt to win over communities of religious minorities within the electorate. That is obviously a difficult proposition to prove, of course, but it has to be said that religious freedom is a curious right for the Conservatives to champion.
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