Media relations (II)

Michael Ignatieff promises more access.

“I’ve been a working journalist. I’m not going to sweet talk you. I’m not going to say we don’t have an adversarial relationship. You’ve got a job to do, I’ve got a job to do. But ... we have to do things differently. I just find the atmosphere poisonous.”

So what would the Prime Minister’s Office do differently under Mr. Ignatieff? “Do what we’re doing now. Sit down and talk,” he said. “I mean, I don’t want to spin you about this. We’ve got a message to get out. We want to shape the debate. Every government wants to do that; that’s legitimate. But you’ve got to have access. You’ve got to be able to hold me accountable.”

He says he’ll be more available than Mr. Harper, to hold more scrums and answer more questions. “I don’t want to sound like a Boy Scout. We’re going to have scrappy moments,” Mr. Ignatieff says. “Why not? Why not? That’s the other thing to say, why not?”