Michael Ignatieff, of tsarist ministerial background, a Trudeau acolyte, a Harvard professor, and the subject of serious whispers that he is a contender for the next leadership of the Liberal party has developed a hole in the parachute with which he drifted into his given riding. In Canadian politics, to enter a candidate into an election in a constituency of which he is not a resident is known as parachuting.

The Liberal party has parachuted "Lord" Ignatieff into Etobicoke South riding, which was about to be given up by the Liberal Member of Parliament, Jean Augustine, who however didn't control the riding association anymore.

The riding had been taken over by Ukrainians, of which there are 8,000 in the riding. There were two Ukrainians fighting for nomination of the riding when His Most Highness Ignatieff was sent soaring into position from above. Before the deadline had arrived, the door was locked and blue-blood Ignatieff had been acclaimed.

There was, of course, room for dispute, but by then the signs for His Excellency Ignatieff had been printed and his castle, I mean committee room established.

The trouble, however, for someone who has been so prolific and outspoken in print was that he should not have deposited his regal slipper in his noble mouth. This was the other complaint that the Ukrainians had. His Majesty Ignatieff had referred to them, in one of his books, as "Little Russians". Ukrainians don't like to be referred to as Russians, especially not "Little Russians".

"I have been misinterpreted," was the regal pronouncement by Archduke Ignatieff.

But it gets worse than that.

The Most Venerable Ignatieff has pronounced oft that he was for the war in Iraq. That eliminated the rest of the Liberals in the riding from voting for him.

The math isn't very good. Deduct 8,000 Ukrainians and the rest of the Liberals and that leaves the Conservatives and NDP. The N-dippers would find him too "riche" for their blood, so might the odd (and I do mean odd) Conservative.

The next time the Liberals parachute anyone they should check the ground first.

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