’It has a split personality, if I may say so’

Michael Ignatieff rose at the end of yesterday’s brief debate to a standing ovation from his side and a smattering of applause from the government benches. Various Conservatives then mocked the Bloc and NDP members for not showing similar enthusiasm.

He thanked the two previous Conservative speakers for their contributions and then wondered aloud if this government might be suffering from some sort of mental calamity. When he was through and had moved that the House adjourn for the day, he received a standing ovation from John Baird.

All in all, a stangely interesting 45 seconds or so. 

Full text of his remarks after the jump.

"Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to compliment the member for Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar and the member for Miramichi for very spirited contributions to our debate.

"Before I move adjournment, I simply want to make one observation. The Speech from the Throne speaks of open and non-partisan cooperation, which are touching words.

"Yet I cannot forget that, just six weeks ago, the government was singing a different tune when it introduced its fall economic update. Back then, its refrain was provocative and partisan, and it had no plan, nothing at all, to protect society’s most vulnerable, to protect jobs, or to create the jobs of tomorrow.

"That is why there is a problem of trust with the government. We do not know which discourse, which language, to believe. It has a split personality, if I may say so. We will have to wait until tomorrow to see whether the government has resolved this conflict of personality and whether it can present a budget in which this side of the House has confidence.

"In the meantime, I move: That the debate be now adjourned."