View source for Michael Ignatieff

{{Short description|Canadian author, academic and former politician}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix    = [[The Honourable]]
| name                = Michael Ignatieff
| honorific-suffix    = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|PC|CM|size=100%}}
| image               = Victoria, BC Liberal Town Hall Forum public libéral.jpg
| caption             = Ignatieff in 2011
| office              = [[List of presidents and rectors of Central European University|President and Rector of Central European University]]
| term_start          = September 1, 2016
| term_end            = July 1, 2021
| predecessor         = [[John Shattuck]]
| successor           = [[Shalini Randeria]]
| office1             = [[Leader of the Official Opposition (Canada)|Leader of the Opposition]]
| deputy1             = [[Ralph Goodale]]
| term_start1         = December 10, 2008
| term_end1           = May 2, 2011
| predecessor1        = [[Stéphane Dion]]
| successor1          = [[Jack Layton]]
| office2             = [[Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada|Leader of the Liberal Party]]
| deputy2             = {{ubl|''Himself''|Ralph Goodale}}
| term_start2         = May 2, 2009
| term_end2           = May 25, 2011<br />Interim: December 10, 2008 – May 2, 2009
| predecessor2        = Stéphane Dion
| successor2          = [[Bob Rae]] (interim)
| office3             = [[Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada#Deputy Leaders|Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party]]
| leader3             = {{ubl|Stéphane Dion|''Himself'' (interim)}}
| term_start3         = December 2, 2006
| term_end3           = May 2, 2009
| predecessor3        = [[Sheila Copps]] (1997)
| successor3          = Ralph Goodale (2010)
| riding4             = [[Etobicoke–Lakeshore]]
| parliament4         = Canadian
| term_start4         = January 23, 2006
| term_end4           = May 2, 2011
| predecessor4        = [[Jean Augustine]]
| successor4          = [[Bernard Trottier]]
| birth_name          = Michael Grant Ignatieff
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1947|5|12}}
| birth_place         = [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], Canada
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
| spouse              = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Susan Barrowclough|1977|1997|end=div}}
* {{marriage|Zsuzsanna Zsohar|1999}}
}}
| children            = 2
| father              = [[George Ignatieff]]
| relatives           = {{ubl|[[Nikolay Ignatyev]] (great-grandfather)|[[Paul Ignatieff]] (grandfather)}}
| education           = [[University of Toronto]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br />[[University of Oxford]]<br />[[Harvard University]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]], [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]])
| signature           = Michael Ignatieff Signature.svg
| website             = {{URL|michaelignatieff.ca|Official website}}
}}

'''Michael Grant Ignatieff''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|PC|CM}} ({{IPAc-en|ɪ|ɡ|ˈ|n|æ|t|i|ɛ|f}} {{respell|ig|NAT|ee|ef}}; born May 12, 1947) is a Canadian author, academic and former politician who served as [[Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada|leader of the Liberal Party]] and [[Leader of the Official Opposition (Canada)|leader of the Opposition]] from 2008 until 2011. Known for his work as a historian, Ignatieff has held senior academic posts at the universities of [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]], [[University of Oxford|Oxford]], [[Harvard University|Harvard]], and [[University of Toronto|Toronto]]. Most recently, he was [[Rector (academia)|rector]] and president of [[Central European University]]; he held this position from 2016 to 2021.

While living in the United Kingdom from 1978 to 2000, Ignatieff became well known as a television and radio broadcaster and as an editorial columnist for ''[[The Observer]]''. His documentary series ''Blood and Belonging: Journeys into the New Nationalism'' aired on [[British Broadcasting Corporation|BBC]] in 1993, and won a Canadian [[Gemini Awards|Gemini Award]]. His book of the same name, based on the series, won the [[Gordon Montador Award]] for Best Canadian Book on Social Issues<ref>"Ignatieff named non-fiction winner for work examining nationalist issues". ''[[Montreal Gazette]]'', May 19, 1994.</ref> and the University of Toronto's [[Lionel Gelber Prize]].<ref name="The Lionel Gelber Prize">{{cite web|url= http://munkschool.utoronto.ca/gelber/|access-date= 24 May 2015|title=The Lionel Gelber Prize}}</ref> His memoir, ''The Russian Album'', won Canada's [[Governor General's Literary Award]] and the British [[Royal Society of Literature]]'s Heinemann Prize in 1988. His novel, ''Scar Tissue'', was short-listed for the [[Booker Prize]] in 1994. In 2000, he delivered the [[Massey Lectures]], entitled ''The Rights Revolution,'' which was released in print later that year.

In the [[2006 Canadian federal election|2006 federal election]], Ignatieff was elected to the [[House of Commons of Canada|House of Commons]] as the [[Member of the Canadian House of Commons|member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Etobicoke—Lakeshore (federal electoral district)|Etobicoke—Lakeshore]]. The same year, he ran for the [[2006 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|leadership of the Liberal Party]], ultimately losing to [[Stéphane Dion]]. He served as the party's deputy leader under Dion. After Dion's resignation in the wake of the [[2008 Canadian federal election|2008 election]], Ignatieff served as [[Interim leader (Canada)|interim leader]] from December 2008 until he was elected leader at the party's [[2009 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|May 2009 convention]].<ref name="interim">{{cite news |date=December 10, 2008 |title=Ignatieff named interim Liberal leader |publisher=CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newly-named-liberal-leader-ignatieff-ready-to-form-coalition-1.698452 |access-date=10 December 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216061905/http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/12/10/ignatieff-caucus.html |archive-date=2008-12-16}}</ref> In the [[2011 Canadian federal election|2011 federal election]], Ignatieff lost his own seat in the Liberal Party's worst showing in its history. Winning only 34 seats, the party placed a distant third behind the [[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservatives]] and [[New Democratic Party (Canada)|NDP]], and thus lost its position as the [[Official Opposition (Canada)|Official Opposition]].<ref>[http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2011/2011-03-28-x1/html/si-tr34-eng.html Proclamation Summoning Parliament to Meet on May 30, 2011]. Canada Gazette, March 28, 2011. Retrieved May 3, 2011.</ref> Ignatieff subsequently resigned as leader of the Liberal Party, and in effect retired from active politics, in May 2011.

Ignatieff taught at the [[University of Toronto]] after his 2011 electoral defeat. In 2013, he returned to [[Harvard Kennedy School]] part-time, splitting his time between Harvard and Toronto. On July 1, 2014, he returned to Harvard full-time.<ref name=murrow/> In 2016, he left Harvard to become president and rector of the [[Central European University]] in [[Budapest]]; he resigned from this position in July 2021.<ref name="CEU">{{cite web|title=Shalini Randeria Elected CEU's 6th Rector and President|url=https://www.ceu.edu/article/2021-06-21/shalini-randeria-elected-ceus-6th-rector-and-president|access-date=23 August 2021|website=Central European University}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/michael-ignatieffs-journey-from-politician-to-academic-freedom-fighter/article31943341|title=Michael Ignatieff's journey from politician to academic freedom fighter|access-date=May 9, 2018|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|date=September 16, 2016 |last1=MacKinnon |first1=Mark }}</ref><ref>[http://www.michaelignatieff.ca/biography/] "Between 2014 and 2016 he was Edward R. Murrow Professor of the Practice of the Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School. He is currently the Rector and President of Central European University in Budapest."</ref> He continues to publish articles and essays on international affairs as well as Canadian politics. In 2024, he was awarded the [[Princess of Asturias Awards|Princess of Asturias Award]] for Social Sciences.<ref>{{cite web |title=Michael Ignatieff, Princess of Asturias Award for Social Sciences 2024|work=The Princess of Asturias Foundation |publisher=Princess of Asturias Foundation|url=https://www.fpa.es/en/princess-of-asturias-awards/laureates/2024-michael-ignatieff.html|access-date=15 May 2024}}</ref>

== Life and education ==
Ignatieff was born on May 12, 1947, in [[Toronto]], the elder son of Russian-born Canadian [[Rhodes Scholar]] and diplomat [[George Ignatieff]], and his Canadian-born wife, Jessie Alison (née Grant). Ignatieff's family moved abroad frequently in his early childhood as his father rose in the diplomatic ranks.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/michael-ignatieff|title = Michael Ignatieff|last = Azzi|first = Stephen|website = The Canadian Encyclopedia|date = November 20, 2011|accessdate = November 23, 2024}}</ref>

At the age of 11, in 1959, Ignatieff was sent back to Toronto to attend [[Upper Canada College]] as a boarder.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-15 |title=Michael Ignatieff {{!}} Biography & Facts {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Michael-Ignatieff |access-date=2024-05-28 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> At UCC, he was elected a [[Upper Canada College Board of Stewards|school prefect]] as head of [[Upper Canada College houses#Wedd's|Wedd's House]], was the captain of the varsity soccer team, and served as editor-in-chief of the school's yearbook.<ref name="beingignatieff">{{cite news | url = https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/being-michael-ignatieff/article4325078/?page=all | access-date = 24 May 2015 | work = The Globe and Mail | date = August 26, 2006 | title = Being Michael Ignatieff | first = Michael | last=Valpy | location=Toronto}}</ref> As well, Ignatieff volunteered for the Liberal Party during the [[1965 Canadian federal election|1965 federal election]] by canvassing the York South riding. He resumed his work for the Liberal Party in 1968, as a national youth organizer and delegate for [[Pierre Trudeau]]'s leadership campaign.

After high school, Ignatieff studied history at the [[University of Toronto]]'s [[University of Trinity College|Trinity College]] (B.A., 1969).<ref name=autogenerated2>{{cite web|url=http://www.danzarella.com/browse.php?u=Oi8vYm9va3MuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS9ib29rcz9pZD1ZS2ZScHJ3WERib0MmcGc9UEE2MjkmbHBnPVBBNjMwJmRxPW94Zm9yZCslMjJtaWNoYWVsK2lnbmF0aWVmZiUyMitpbnRpdGxlOndobyZscj0mYXNfZHJyYl9pcz1xJmFzX21pbm1faXM9MCZhc19taW55X2lzPSZhc19tYXhtX2lzPTAmYXNfbWF4eV9pcz0mbnVtPTEwMCZhc19icnI9MA==&b=61|title=DanZarElla.com|website=www.danzarella.com|access-date=May 9, 2018}}</ref> There, he met fellow student [[Bob Rae]], from [[University College, University of Toronto|University College]], who was a [[debating]] opponent and fourth-year roommate. After completing his undergraduate degree, Ignatieff took up his studies at the [[University of Oxford]], where he studied under, and was influenced by, the liberal philosopher [[Isaiah Berlin|Sir Isaiah Berlin]], whom he would later write about. While an undergraduate at the University of Toronto, he was a part-time reporter for ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'' in 1964–65.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bulletin.uwaterloo.ca/2001/jan/24we.html |title=January 24, 2001 |publisher=Bulletin.uwaterloo.ca |date=January 24, 2001 |access-date=28 April 2010}}</ref> In 1976, Ignatieff completed his Ph.D. in history at Harvard University. He was granted a Cambridge M.A. by incorporation in 1978 on taking up a fellowship at [[King's College, Cambridge|King's College]] there.{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}

=== Family ===
[[File:Ignatieff with Kids Santa Lakeshore Parade 2009 12 05.jpg|thumb|Ignatieff at the Lakeshore Santa Claus Parade, December 5, 2009|left]]
Ignatieff's paternal grandfather was [[Count]] [[Paul Ignatieff]], the Russian minister of education during the [[First World War]] and son of Count [[Nikolay Pavlovich Ignatyev]], an important Russian statesman and diplomat. His mother's grandfathers were [[George Monro Grant]] and [[Sir George Robert Parkin]], and her younger brother was the Canadian [[Conservatism in Canada|Conservative]] political philosopher [[George Grant (philosopher)|George Grant]] (1918–1988), author of ''[[Lament for a Nation]]''. His great-aunt [[Alice Massey|Alice Parkin Massey]] was the wife of Canada's first native-born [[Governor General of Canada|Governor General]], [[Vincent Massey]].{{Citation needed|date=October 2010}} His first cousin [[Caroline Andrew]] was a political scientist.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Andrew-Gee |first=Eric |date=2023-02-03 |title=Opinion: My aunt Caroline Andrew built bridges between English and French Canada |language=en-CA |work=The Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-my-aunt-caroline-andrew-built-bridges-between-english-and-french/ |access-date=2023-11-19}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=GRANT, WILLIAM LAWSON |url=http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/grant_william_lawson_16E.html |access-date=2023-11-19 |website=Dictionary of Canadian Biography}}</ref> He is also a descendant of [[William Lawson (banker)|William Lawson]], the first president of the Bank of Nova Scotia.

Ignatieff is married to Hungarian-born Zsuzsanna M. Zsohar<ref>{{cite news |last=Hopper |first=Tristin |date=April 6, 2017 |title=His university under siege, Michael Ignatieff is leading the charge against an increasingly autocratic Hungary |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/his-university-under-siege-michael-ignatieff-is-leading-the-charge-against-an-increasingly-autocratic-hungary |work=[[National Post]] |location= |access-date=April 3, 2024}}</ref> and has two children, Theo and Sophie, from his first marriage to Londoner Susan Barrowclough.<ref>{{cite news |last=Diebel |first=Linda |date=March 1, 2009 |title=Oh! Zsuzsanna: Ignatieff's spouse tells their story |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/oh-zsuzsanna-ignatieffs-spouse-tells-their-story/article_bd29b881-7d59-5488-8712-1cc3f3a82f21.html |url-status=live |work=[[Toronto Star]] |location=Toronto, Ontario |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240404004851/https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/oh-zsuzsanna-ignatieffs-spouse-tells-their-story/article_bd29b881-7d59-5488-8712-1cc3f3a82f21.html |archive-date=April 4, 2024 |access-date=April 3, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Delacourt |first=Susan |author-link=Susan Delacourt |date=July 16, 2010 |title=A rare glimpse of family from Michael Ignatieff  |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/a-rare-glimpse-of-family-from-michael-ignatieff/article_d49b0924-fca8-5039-be70-b55a6e6de525.html |url-status=live |work=[[Toronto Star]] |location=Barrie, Ontario |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240404004242/https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/a-rare-glimpse-of-family-from-michael-ignatieff/article_d49b0924-fca8-5039-be70-b55a6e6de525.html |archive-date=April 4, 2024 |access-date=April 3, 2024}}</ref> He also has a younger brother, Andrew, a community worker who assisted with Ignatieff's campaign.<ref name="beingignatieff"/>

Although he says he is not religious, Ignatieff was raised [[Russian Orthodox]] and occasionally attends services with family.<ref name="Valpy">{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/michael-valpy-on-michael-ignatieff/article1378481/?page=all|title=Michael Valpy on Michael Ignatieff|work=The Globe and Mail|date=August 28, 2006|access-date=24 May 2015}}</ref> He describes himself as neither an atheist nor a "believer".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lactualite.com/20090202_155148_33064 |title=Ignatieff et la religion &#124; L'actualité |publisher=Lactualite.com |access-date=19 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615024014/http://www.lactualite.com/20090202_155148_33064 |archive-date=June 15, 2011 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

== Early career ==
Ignatieff was an assistant professor of history at the [[University of British Columbia]] from 1976 to 1978. In 1978 he moved to the United Kingdom, where he held a senior research fellowship at [[King's College, Cambridge]], until 1984. He then left Cambridge for London, where he began to focus on his career as a writer and journalist. His book ''The Russian Album'' documented a history of his family's experiences in nineteenth-century Russia (and subsequent exile), and won the [[1987 Governor General's Awards|1987 Governor General's Award for Non-Fiction]] and the British [[Royal Society of Literature]]'s Heinemann Prize in Canada.

During this time, he travelled extensively. He also continued to lecture at universities in Europe and North America, and held teaching posts at [[University of Oxford|Oxford]], the [[University of London]], the [[London School of Economics]], the [[University of California]] and in France. While living in Britain, Ignatieff became well known as a broadcaster on radio and television. His best-known television work has been ''Voices'' on [[Channel 4]], the [[BBC Two|BBC 2]] discussion programme ''Thinking Aloud'' and [[BBC Two|BBC 2]]'s arts programme, ''[[The Late Show (BBC2)|The Late Show]]''.  He was also an editorial columnist for ''[[The Observer]]'' from 1990 to 1993.

His documentary series ''Blood and Belonging: Journeys into the New Nationalism'' aired on [[British Broadcasting Corporation|BBC]] in 1993, winning a Canadian [[Gemini Award]]. He later adapted this series into a book, ''Blood and Belonging: Journeys into the New Nationalism'', detailing the dangers of [[ethnic nationalism]] in the post-Cold War period. This book won the [[Gordon Montador Award]] for Best Canadian Book on Social Issues and the University of Toronto's [[Lionel Gelber Prize]].<ref name="The Lionel Gelber Prize"/> Ignatieff also wrote the novel, ''Scar Tissue'', which was shortlisted for the [[Booker Prize]] in 1994.

In 1998, he was on the first panel of the long-running [[BBC Radio]] discussion series ''[[In Our Time (BBC Radio 4)|In Our Time]]''. Around this time, his 1998 biography of [[Isaiah Berlin]] was shortlisted for both the Jewish Quarterly Literary Prize for Non-Fiction and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize.

=== Human rights policy ===
In 2000, Ignatieff accepted a position as the director of the [[Carr Center for Human Rights Policy]] at the [[Harvard Kennedy School]] at [[Harvard University]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cceia.org/people/data/michael_ignatieff.html |title=Michael Ignatieff |publisher=[[Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs]] |access-date=December 8, 2008 |archive-date=March 10, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100310084307/http://www.cceia.org/people/data/michael_ignatieff.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Ignatieff's influence on policy continued to grow, helping to prepare the report ''The Responsibility to Protect'' for the [[International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty]] with [[Gareth Evans (politician)|Gareth Evans]]. This report examined the role of international involvement in Kosovo and [[Rwanda]], and advocated a framework for 'humanitarian' intervention in future humanitarian crises. He delivered the [[Massey Lectures]] in 2000, entitled ''The Rights Revolution,'' which was released in print later that year. He would eventually become a participant and panel leader at the [[World Economic Forum]] in Geneva.

2001 marked the [[September 11 attacks]] in the United States, renewing academic interest in issues of foreign policy and nation building. Ignatieff's text on Western [[Interventionism (politics)|interventionist]] policies and nation building, ''Virtual War: Kosovo and Beyond,'' won the Orwell Prize for political non-fiction in 2001.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theorwellprize.co.uk/the-award/winners-books.aspx?year%3D277 |access-date=13 August 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090707223605/http://www.theorwellprize.co.uk/the-award/winners-books.aspx?year=277 |archive-date=July 7, 2009 |title=Winners: 2001 |publisher=The Orwell Prize. theorwellprize.co.uk}}</ref> As a journalist, Ignatieff observed that the United States had established "an [[empire lite]], a global hegemony whose grace notes are free markets, human rights and democracy, enforced by the most awesome military power the world has ever known."<ref name="burden"/> This became the subject of his 2003 book ''Empire Lite: Nation-Building in Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan'', which argued that America had a responsibility to create a "humanitarian empire" through nation-building and, if necessary, military force.<ref name="empirelite"/> This would become a frequent topic in his lectures. At the Amnesty 2005 Lecture in Dublin, he offered evidence to show that "we wouldn't have international human rights without the leadership of the United States".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/10935 |title=Program Information, Amnesty Lecture 2005: Michael Ignatieff at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland |publisher=Radio4all.net |date=January 13, 2005 |access-date= 28 April 2010}}</ref>

Ignatieff's interventionist approach led him to support the [[2003 Invasion of Iraq]].<ref name="living dangerously"/> According to Ignatieff, the United States had a duty to expend itself unseating Iraqi president [[Saddam Hussein]] in the interests of international security and human rights. Ignatieff initially accepted the argument of [[George W. Bush]] administration that containment through sanctions and threats would not prevent Hussein from selling [[weapons of mass destruction]] to [[terrorism|international terrorists]]. Ignatieff wrongly believed that those [[Iraq and weapons of mass destruction|weapons were still being developed in Iraq]].<ref name="burden">{{cite news | first = Michael | last = Ignatieff |url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B03E6DA143FF936A35752C0A9659C8B63&scp=1&sq=The%20Burden%20Ignatieff&st=cse | title = The Burden |work = The New York Times Magazine |date = January 5, 2003 |access-date = 11 August 2006 }}</ref>

In 2004, he published ''[[The Lesser Evil: Political Ethics in an Age of Terror]],'' a philosophical work analyzing human rights in the post-9/11 world. Ignatieff argued that there may be circumstances where [[sentence (law)|indefinite]] [[detention (imprisonment)|detention]] or coercive [[interrogation]]s may need to be used on terror suspects to combat terrorism.<ref name="McQuaig 2007">{{cite news | url = https://thetyee.ca/Books/2007/05/01/McQuaig | title = Sidekicks to American Empire | first = Linda | last=McQuaig| publisher=Random House|year=2007}}</ref><ref name="Worldbeaters: Michael Ignatieff">{{cite news | url = http://www.newint.org/issue385/worldbeaters.htm | title = Worldbeaters: Michael Ignatieff | publisher = New Internationalist Magazine | year = 2005 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091006210425/http://www.newint.org/issue385/worldbeaters.htm | archive-date = October 6, 2009 | df = mdy-all }}</ref> Democratic institutions would need to evolve to protect human rights, finding a way to keep these necessary evils from offending democracy as much as the evils they are meant to prevent.<ref name="lesser evils"/> The book attracted considerable attention. It was a finalist for the [[Lionel Gelber Prize]], but also earned him some criticism. In 2005, he was criticized by his peers on the editorial board for the ''[[Index on Censorship]]'', where human rights advocate Conor Gearty said Ignatieff fell into a category of "hand-wringing, apologetic apologists for human-rights abuses". Ignatieff responded by resigning from the editorial board for the ''Index'',<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.ft.com/content/5204b8d0-88b1-11da-94a6-0000779e2340 | title = The great bright hope | work = Financial Times | author = Craig Offman | date = January 20, 2006 }}</ref> and has maintained that he supports a complete ban on torture.<ref name="Ignatieff">{{cite news | url = http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/features/iftortureworks | title = If torture works... | first = Michael | last = Ignatieff | work = Prospect |date=April 2006 |access-date=24 May 2015}}</ref>

By 2005, Ignatieff's writings on human rights and foreign affairs earned him the 37th rank on a list of most influential public intellectuals prepared by ''Prospect'' and ''Foreign Policy'' magazines.<ref name="infoplease.com"/>

=== Return to Canadian academe ===
{{See also|#Political career|l1=Political career}}
Around 2005, Ignatieff became more frequently mentioned as a possible Liberal candidate for the next federal election, and rumours swirled about the beginnings of a [[#Political career|political career]]. At this time, he left Harvard to become the Chancellor Jackman Professor in Human Rights Policy at the [[University of Toronto]] and a Distinguished Senior Fellow of the university's [[Munk School|Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2005/9/16/ignatieff-to-leave-for-canadian-professorship/ |title=Ignatieff To Leave For Canadian Professorship |publisher=[[Harvard Crimson]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Michael Ignatieff {{!}} The Munk School |url=https://munkschool.utoronto.ca/person/michael-ignatieff |access-date=2025-03-09 |website=munkschool.utoronto.ca |language=en}}</ref>

He continued to write about the subject of Iraq, reiterating his support, if not the method in which it was conducted. According to Ignatieff, "what Saddam Hussein had done to the [[Iraqi Kurdistan|Kurds]] and the [[Shi'a Islam|Shia]]" in Iraq was sufficient justification for the invasion.<ref name="canworld">{{cite news | first = Michael | last = Ignatieff |url = https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/text-of-ignatieff-speech/article23004198/ | title = Canada and the World |work = The Globe and Mail |date = March 30, 2006 |access-date = 24 May 2015 | location=Toronto}}</ref><ref name="asithappens">{{cite news | first = Mary Lou | last = Finlay |author2=Budd, Barbara | url = http://www.cbc.ca/radioshows/AS_IT_HAPPENS/20060407.shtml| title = As it Happens | publisher = CBC Radio |date = April 7, 2006 |access-date = 11 August 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070222003607/http://www.cbc.ca/radioshows/AS_IT_HAPPENS/20060407.shtml |archive-date = February 22, 2007}}</ref> His support for the war began to wane as time passed; he said: "I supported an administration whose intentions I didn't trust, believing that the consequences would repay the gamble. Now I realize that intentions do shape consequences."<ref name="living dangerously"/> He eventually recanted his support for the war entirely. In a 2007 ''[[The New York Times Magazine|New York Times Magazine]]'' article, he wrote: "The unfolding catastrophe in Iraq has condemned the political judgment of a president, but it has also condemned the judgment of many others, myself included, who as commentators supported the invasion." Ignatieff partly interpreted what he now saw as his particular errors of judgment, by presenting them as typical of academics and intellectuals in general, whom he characterized as "generalizing and interpreting particular facts as instances of some big idea". In politics, by contrast, "Specifics matter more than generalities".<ref name="RecantingIraqStance">{{cite news | first = Michael | last = Ignatieff | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/05/magazine/05iraq-t.html?_r=1&ex=1343966400&en=13354304 | title = Getting Iraq Wrong | work = The New York Times |date = April 5, 2007 |access-date = 9 August 2007 }}</ref> [[Samuel Moyn]], Harvard University historian of human rights and humanitarian intervention, asserts that Ignatieff is among those whose who "soiled their reputations" through their defence of the Iraq war, and labelled his later public apology "embarrassingly vacuous."<ref>{{cite book|last=Moyn|first=Samuel|author-link=Samuel Moyn|title=Human Rights and the Uses of History|year=2014|publisher=Verso|location=New York|isbn=978-1781682630|page=48|oclc=892893476}}</ref>

=== Writings ===
Ignatieff is a historian, a fiction writer and [[public intellectual]]<ref name="infoplease.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.infoplease.com/spot/topintellectuals.html|access-date=28 August 2006|title=The Prospect/FP Top 100 Public Intellectuals.}}</ref> who has written several books on international relations and nation building. He has written seventeen books,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/michael-ignatieff-has-big-vision-for-canada-1.390371 |title=Michael Ignatieff has 'big' vision for Canada&nbsp;– CTV News |publisher=Ctv.ca |date=April 17, 2009 |access-date=16 May 2018}}</ref> and has been described by the [[British Arts Council]] as "an extraordinarily versatile writer", in both the style and the subjects he writes about.<ref name="CW">{{cite web|url=http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth141|access-date=10 August 2006|title=Michael Ignatieff at Contemporary Writers|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060904230300/http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth141|archive-date=September 4, 2006|df=mdy-all}}</ref> He has contributed articles to publications including ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', ''[[The New Republic]]'', and ''[[The New York Times Magazine]]''. ''[[Maclean's Magazine|Maclean's]]'' named him among the "Top 10 Canadian Who's Who" in 1997 and one of the "50 Most Influential Canadians Shaping Society" in 2002. In 2003, ''Maclean's'' named him Canada's "Sexiest Cerebral Man".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.liberal.ca/bio_e.aspx?&id=35023| access-date= 11 August 2006| title=Liberal.ca Biography of Michael Ignatieff |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060722205313/http://liberal.ca/bio_e.aspx?&id=35023 |archive-date = July 22, 2006}}</ref>

==== Fictional works ====
His fictional works, ''Asya'', ''Scar Tissue'', and ''Charlie Johnson in the Flames'' cover, respectively, the life and travels of a Russian girl, the disintegration of one's mother due to neurological disease, and the haunting memories of a journalist in Kosovo. The works are to some extent autobiographical; for instance, Ignatieff travelled to the Balkans and [[Kurdistan]] while working as a journalist, witnessing first hand the consequences of modern ethnic warfare.

==== Historian and biographer ====
A historian by training, he wrote ''A Just Measure of Pain'', a history of prisons during the [[Industrial Revolution]]. His biography of [[Isaiah Berlin]] reveals the strong impression the celebrated philosopher made on Ignatieff. Philosophical writings by Ignatieff include ''The Needs of Strangers'' and ''The Rights Revolution''. The latter work explores social welfare and community, and shows Berlin's influence on Ignatieff. These tie closely to Ignatieff's political writings on national self-determination and the imperatives of democratic self-government. Ignatieff has also written extensively on international affairs.<ref name="CW"/> His historical memoir, ''The Russian Album'', traces his family's life in Russia and their troubles and subsequent emigration as a result of the [[Bolshevik Revolution]].

==== Canadian studies ====
In ''The Rights Revolution'', Ignatieff identifies three aspects of Canada's approach to human rights that give the country its distinctive culture: 1) On moral issues, Canadian law is secular and liberal, approximating European standards more closely than American ones; 2) Canadian political culture is [[social democratic]], and Canadians take it for granted that citizens have the right to free health care and public assistance; 3) Canadians place a particular emphasis on group rights, expressed in Quebec's language laws and in treaty agreements that recognize collective aboriginal rights. "Apart from New Zealand, no other country has given such recognition to the idea of group rights", he writes.<ref name="rights">{{cite book | last = Ignatieff | first = Michael | title = The Rights Revolution | url = https://archive.org/details/rightsrevolution0000igna | url-access = registration | publisher = [[House of Anansi Press]] | year = 2000 | isbn = 0-88784-656-4 }}</ref>

Ignatieff states that despite its admirable commitment to equality and group rights, Canadian society still places an unjust burden on women and gays and lesbians, and he says it is still difficult for newcomers of non-British or French descent to form an enduring sense of citizenship. He attributes this to the "patch-work quilt of distinctive societies", emphasizing that civic bonds will only be easier when the understanding of Canada as a multinational community is more widely shared.

==== International studies ====
Ignatieff has written extensively on international development, peacekeeping and the international responsibilities of Western nations. ''Blood and Belonging'', a 1993 work, explores the duality of nationalism, from [[Yugoslavia]] to [[Northern Ireland]]. It is the first of a trilogy of books that explore modern conflicts. ''The Warrior's Honour'', published in 1998, deals with ethnically motivated conflicts, including the conflicts in Afghanistan and Rwanda. The final book, ''Virtual War'', describes the problems of modern peacekeeping, with special reference to the [[Kosovo Force|NATO presence in Kosovo]].

His 2003 book ''Empire Lite'' attracted considerable attention for suggesting that America, the world's last remaining superpower, should create a "humanitarian empire". This book continued his criticism of the limited-risk approach practiced by [[NATO]] in conflicts like the [[Kosovo War]] and the [[Rwandan genocide]].<ref name="empirelite"/> Ignatieff became an advocate for more active involvement and larger scale deployment of land forces by Western nations in future conflicts in the [[developing country|developing world]]. Ignatieff was originally a prominent supporter of the [[2003 Invasion of Iraq]].<ref name="living dangerously">{{cite news | first = Michael |last = Ignatieff |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/14/magazine/14WWLN.html?ex=1155441600&en=702afeea45f58a4f&ei=5070 | title = The Year of Living Dangerously |work = The New York Times Magazine |date = March 14, 2004 |access-date = 24 May 2015 }}</ref> However, Ignatieff attempts to distinguish the [[empire lite]] approach from [[neo-conservativism]] because the motives of the [[Interventionism (politics)|foreign engagement]] he advocates are essentially altruistic rather than self-serving.<ref name="empirelite">''Empire Lite: Nation-Building in Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan'', Minerva, 2003</ref>

Ignatieff's 2004 book ''[[The Lesser Evil: Political Ethics in an Age of Terror]]'',<ref name="lesserevilbook">Princeton University Press, 2004 (2003 [[Gifford Lectures]]; [http://www.giffordlectures.org/Browse.asp?PubID=TPEVIL&Cover=TRUE sample chapters] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080416173331/http://www.giffordlectures.org/Browse.asp?PubID=TPEVIL&Cover=TRUE |date=April 16, 2008 }})</ref> argued that Western democracies may have to resort to "[[lesser evil]]s" like [[sentence (law)|indefinite]] [[detention (imprisonment)|detention]] of suspects, coercive [[interrogation]]s,<ref name="McQuaig 2007"/> assassinations, and [[pre-emptive war]]s in order to combat the greater evil of terrorism.<ref name="Worldbeaters: Michael Ignatieff"/> He states that as a result, societies should strengthen their democratic institutions to keep these necessary evils from becoming as offensive to freedom and democracy as the threats they are meant to prevent.<ref name="lesser evils">{{cite news | first = Michael | last = Ignatieff |url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9507E6DA1F3AF931A35756C0A9629C8B63&scp=1&sq=lesser%20evils%20Ignatieff&st=cse | title = Lesser Evils (Op-Ed)| work = [[The New York Times Magazine]] | date = May 2, 2004 |access-date = 24 September 2006 }}</ref> The 'Lesser Evil' approach has been criticized by some prominent human rights advocates, like [[Conor Gearty]], for incorporating a problematic form of moral [[language]] that can be used to legitimize forms of torture.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.indexonline.org/en/news/articles/2005/1/international-legitimising-torture-with-a-li.shtml | first = Conor | last = Gearty | publisher = Index on Censorship: Torture&nbsp;– A User's Manual | date = January 2005 | title = Legitimising torture&nbsp;– with a little help | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20051204024926/http://www.indexonline.org/en/news/articles/2005/1/international-legitimising-torture-with-a-li.shtml | archive-date = December 4, 2005 | df = mdy-all }}</ref>
But other human rights advocates, like [[Human Rights Watch]]'s Kenneth Roth, have defended Ignatieff, saying his work "cannot fairly be equated with support for torture or 'torture lite'."<ref name="Usborne">{{cite news | url = https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/michael-ignatieff-under-siege-6111092.html | first = David | last = Usborne | title = Michael Ignatieff: Under siege | date = January 21, 2006 |work=The Independent | location=London |access-date=16 May 2018}}</ref>
In the context of this "lesser evil" analysis, Ignatieff has discussed whether or not liberal democracies should employ coercive interrogation and [[torture]]. Ignatieff has adamantly maintained that he supports a complete ban on torture.<ref name="Ignatieff"/>
His definition of torture, according to his 2004 Op-ed in ''The New York Times'', does not include "forms of [[sleep deprivation]] that do not result in lasting harm to mental or physical health, together with disinformation and disorientation (like keeping prisoners in hoods)."<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite news | first = Michael | last = Ignatieff |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/02/magazine/lesser-evils.html?pagewanted=all | title = Lesser Evils (Op-Ed)| work = [[The New York Times Magazine]] | date = May 2, 2004 |access-date = 24 May 2015 }}</ref>

== Political career ==
In 2004, three Liberal organizers, former Liberal candidate [[Alfred Apps]], Ian Davey (son of Senator [[Keith Davey]]) and lawyer Daniel Brock, travelled to [[Cambridge, Massachusetts]], to convince Ignatieff to move back to Canada and run for the [[House of Commons of Canada]], and to consider a possible bid for the Liberal leadership should Paul Martin retire.<ref>Global TV News (2008).[http://election.globaltv.com/leaders/michaelignatieff.aspx "Election2008 Key Candidates Michael Ignatieff." Global.Retrieved on: March 17,2010] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100423050631/http://election.globaltv.com/leaders/michaelignatieff.aspx |date=April 23, 2010 }}</ref> [[Rocco Rossi]], who was at that time a key Liberal Party organizer, had previously mentioned to Davey that Davey's father had said that Ignatieff had "the makings of a prime minister".<ref>Geddes, John (September 4, 2006). [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/quotrainmakersquot-son-backs-ignatieff/ "Rainmaker's" Son Backs Ignatieff."] ''Maclean's''. Retrieved May 24, 2015.</ref> In January 2005, as a result of the efforts of Apps, Brock and Davey, press speculation that Ignatieff could be a [[star candidate]] for the Liberals in the next election, and possibly a candidate to eventually succeed Prime Minister [[Paul Martin]], the leader of the governing [[Liberal Party of Canada]].

After months of rumours and several denials, Ignatieff confirmed in November 2005 that he would run for a seat in the House of Commons in the [[2006 Canadian federal election|winter 2006 election]]. It was announced that Ignatieff would seek the Liberal nomination in the Toronto riding of Etobicoke—Lakeshore.

Some [[Ukrainian-Canadian]] members of the [[riding association]] objected to the nomination, citing a perceived anti-Ukrainian sentiment in ''Blood and Belonging'', where Ignatieff said: "I have reasons to take the Ukraine seriously indeed. But, to be honest, I'm having trouble. Ukrainian independence conjures up images of peasants in embroidered shirts, the nasal whine of ethnic instruments, phony Cossacks in cloaks and boots..."<ref name="Usborne"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20051127/ignatieff_election_051127/20051127/?hub=TorontoHome|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060427165903/http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20051127/ignatieff_election_051127/20051127/?hub=TorontoHome|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 27, 2006|access-date=20 April 2006|title=Toronto group opposes Ignatieff's election bid|date=November 27, 2005}}</ref>
Critics also questioned his commitment to Canada, pointing out that Ignatieff had lived outside of Canada for more than 30 years and had referred to himself as an American many times. When asked about it by [[Peter C. Newman|Peter Newman]] in a ''[[Maclean's]]'' interview published on April 6, 2006, Ignatieff said: "Sometimes you want to increase your influence over your audience by appropriating their voice, but it was a mistake. Every single one of the students from 85 countries who took my courses at Harvard knew one thing about me: I was that funny Canadian."<ref name="macleans">{{cite news | url=http://www.macleans.ca/topstories/politics/article.jsp?content=20060410_124769_124769 | access-date=20 April 2006 | work=Maclean's | date=April 6, 2006 | title = Q&A with Liberal leadership contender Michael Ignatieff|first=Peter C.|last=Newman |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060415025347/http://www.macleans.ca/topstories/politics/article.jsp?content=20060410_124769_124769 |archive-date = April 15, 2006}}</ref>
Two other candidates filed for the nomination but were disqualified (one, because he was not a member of the party and the second because he had failed to resign from his position on the [[riding association]] executive). Ignatieff went on to defeat the Conservative candidate by a margin of roughly 5,000 votes to win the [[constituency|seat]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elections.ca/scripts/OVR2006/default.html |title=Ovr / Ros |publisher=Elections.ca |access-date=19 November 2010}}</ref>

=== 2006 leadership bid ===
After the Liberal government was defeated in the January 2006 federal election, [[Paul Martin]] resigned the party leadership in March that same year. On April 7, 2006, Ignatieff announced his candidacy in the upcoming [[2006 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|Liberal leadership race]], joining several others who had already declared their candidacy.

Ignatieff received [[2006 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election#Michael Ignatieff|several high-profile endorsements]] of his candidacy. His campaign was headed by [[Senate of Canada|Senator]] [[David Smith (Canadian senator)|David Smith]], who had been a [[Jean Chrétien|Chrétien]] organizer, along with [[Ian Davey]], [[Daniel Brock]], [[Alfred Apps]] and Paul Lalonde, a Toronto lawyer and son of [[Marc Lalonde]].<ref name="macleans2">{{cite news | url = http://www.macleans.ca/topstories/politics/article.jsp?content=20060403_124360_124360|first=John|last=Geddes|title=Bill Graham's big job|date=March 29, 2006|access-date=11 August 2006 | work=Maclean's |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060415063915/http://www.macleans.ca/topstories/politics/article.jsp?content=20060403_124360_124360 |archive-date = April 15, 2006}}</ref>

An impressive team of policy advisors was assembled, led by Toronto lawyer Brad Davis, and including Brock, fellow lawyers [[Mark Sakamoto]], Sachin Aggarwal, Jason Rosychuck, Jon Penney, Nigel Marshman, Alex Mazer, [[Will Amos]], and Alix Dostal, former Ignatieff student Jeff Anders, banker Clint Davis, economists Blair Stransky, Leslie Church and Ellis Westwood, and Liberal operatives Alexis Levine, Marc Gendron, Mike Pal, [[Julie Dzerowicz]], Patrice Ryan, Taylor Owen and Jamie Macdonald.<ref name="Ignatieff Policy">{{cite news| url=http://www.politiquebec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20984&sid=d9beef2e4b316dd9e935103900d8e2ec| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309084426/http://politiquebec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?&t=20984| url-status=dead| archive-date=March 9, 2016| title=A Liberal Revolution| date=September 26, 2006| access-date=11 October 2006| work=National Post}}</ref>

Following the selection of delegates in the party's "Super Weekend" exercise on the last weekend of September, Ignatieff gained more support from delegates than other candidates, with 30% voting for him.

In August 2006, Ignatieff said he was "not losing any sleep" over dozens of civilian deaths caused by Israel's attack on [[Qana]] during its military actions in [[Lebanon]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060810/ignatieff_mideast_060810?s_name=&no_ads= |title=Ignatieff admits gaffe over Mideast conflict |publisher=CTV |date=August 10, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080620075602/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060810/ignatieff_mideast_060810?s_name=&no_ads= |archive-date=June 20, 2008 |df=mdy }}</ref>
Ignatieff recanted those words the following week. Then, on October 11, 2006, Ignatieff described the Qana attack as a war crime (committed by Israel). [[Susan Kadis]], who had been Ignatieff's campaign co-chair, withdrew her support following the comment. Other Liberal leadership candidates have also criticized Ignatieff's comments.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/story.html?id=80789bca-0e55-4e09-a027-9766b4deb520&k=3758 |title=Campaign organizer abandons Ignatieff over war crimes comment |first=Joan |last=Bryden |work=The Gazette|location=Montreal |date=October 12, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070313175041/http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/story.html?id=80789bca-0e55-4e09-a027-9766b4deb520&k=3758 |archive-date=March 13, 2007 |df=mdy }}</ref>
Ariela Cotler, a Jewish community leader and the wife of prominent Liberal MP [[Irwin Cotler]], left the party following Ignatieff's comments.<ref>{{cite news|title=Cotler's wife quits Liberals over Ignatieff comments|agency=The Canadian Press|date=October 13, 2006}}</ref>
Ignatieff later qualified his statement, saying "Whether war crimes were committed in the attack on Qana is for international bodies to determine.  That doesn't change the fact that Qana was a terrible tragedy."<ref>Chris Wattie and Allan Woods, "Ignatieff fights back over Mideast", ''Calgary Herald'', October 14, 2006, A13.</ref>

On October 14, Ignatieff announced that he would visit Israel to meet with Israeli and [[Palestinian people|Palestinian]] leaders and "learn first-hand their view of the situation". He noted that [[Amnesty International]], [[Human Rights Watch]] and Israel's own [[B'Tselem]] have stated that war crimes were committed in Qana, describing the suggestion as "a serious matter precisely because Israel has a record of compliance, concern and respect for the laws of war and human rights".<ref>Louise Brown, "Ignatieff set to visit Israel", ''Toronto Star'', October 14, 2006, A20.</ref>
Ignatieff added that he would not meet with Palestinian leaders who did not recognize Israel. However, the Jewish organization sponsoring the trip subsequently cancelled it, because of too much media attention.{{citation needed|date=April 2011}}

==== Convention ====
At the leadership convention in [[Montreal]], taking place at [[Palais des congrès de Montréal|Palais des Congrès]], Ignatieff entered as the apparent front-runner, having won more delegates to the convention than any other contender. However, polls consistently showed he had weak second-ballot support, and those delegates not already tied to him would be unlikely to support him later.

On December 1, 2006, Ignatieff led the leadership candidates on the first ballot, garnering 29% support. The subsequent ballots were cast the following day, and Ignatieff managed a small increase, to 31% on the second ballot, good enough to maintain his lead over [[Bob Rae]], who had attracted 24% support, and [[Stéphane Dion]], who garnered 20%. However, due to massive movement towards Dion by delegates who supported [[Gerard Kennedy]], Ignatieff dropped to second on the third ballot. Shortly before voting for the third ballot was completed, with the realization that there was a Dion–Kennedy pact, Ignatieff campaign co-chair [[Denis Coderre]] made an appeal to Rae to join forces and prevent Dion from winning the Liberal Party leadership (on the basis that Stephane Dion's ardent federalism would alienate Quebecers), but Rae turned down the offer and opted to release his delegates.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20061202/liberal_balloting_061202/20061202?hub=TopStories |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061205095949/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20061202/liberal_balloting_061202/20061202?hub=TopStories |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 5, 2006 |agency=The Canadian Press |date=December 2, 2006 |title='Gesture' might have helped trigger Dion win }}</ref>

With the help of the Kennedy delegates, Dion jumped up to 37% support on the third ballot, in contrast to Ignatieff's 34% and Rae's 29%. Rae was eliminated and the bulk of his delegates opted to vote for Dion rather than Ignatieff. In the fourth and final round of voting, Ignatieff took 2084 votes and lost the contest to Dion, who won with 2,521 votes.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20061202.wlibsfinalballot1202/BNStory/LiberalBackgrounder/home|work=The Globe and Mail|title=Dion surges to victory, defeating Ignatieff| first=Clark| last=Campbell|date=December 2, 2006|location=Toronto}}</ref>

Ignatieff confirmed that he would run as the Liberal MP for Etobicoke—Lakeshore in the next federal election.<ref name="CBC">{{cite news | url = http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ignatieff-rae-indicate-they-ll-run-in-next-election-1.624538|title=Ignatieff, Rae indicate they'll run in next election|date=December 4, 2006| access-date= 13 April 2014 | publisher=CBC News}}</ref>

=== Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party ===
On December 18, 2006, new Liberal leader [[Stéphane Dion]] named Ignatieff his deputy leader, in line with Dion's plan to give high-ranking positions to each of his former leadership rivals.<ref>{{cite news| url= http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ignatieff-tapped-as-liberal-deputy-leader-1.584410|title=Ignatieff tapped as Liberal deputy leader|publisher=CBC News|date=December 18, 2006}}</ref>

During three by-elections held on September 18, 2007, the ''[[Halifax Chronicle-Herald]]'' reported that unidentified Dion supporters were accusing Ignatieff's supporters of undermining by-election efforts, with the goal of showing that Dion could not hold on to the party's Quebec base.<ref>Susan Delacourt (September 18, 2007). [https://www.thestar.com/news/2007/09/18/liberal_grumbling_began_even_before_crushing_loss.html "Liberal grumbling began even before crushing loss."] the star.com. Retrieved October 6, 2007.</ref>
Susan Delacourt of the ''[[Toronto Star]]'' described this as a recurring issue in the party with the leadership runner-up.<ref name=runner-up>Susan Delacourt (September 22, 2007). [https://www.thestar.com/Unassigned/article/259218 "The Liberal affliction: Runner-up syndrome."] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207044741/http://www.thestar.com/Unassigned/article/259218 |date=December 7, 2008 }} the star.com. Retrieved October 6, 2007.
</ref> ''[[The National Post]]'' referred to the affair as, "Discreet signs of a mutiny."<ref>Craig Offman (September 22, 2007). [http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=1d6cea03-674f-463b-a674-3c8afce3c4fc&k=91630 "Discreet signs of a mutiny.'] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213175636/http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=1d6cea03-674f-463b-a674-3c8afce3c4fc&k=91630 |date=February 13, 2012 }} ''The National Post''. Retrieved October 6, 2007.</ref>
Although Ignatieff called Dion to deny the allegations, ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'' cited the NDP's widening lead after the article's release, suggested that the report had a negative impact on the Liberals' morale.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ignatieff-called-to-reassure-dion-offer-help/article1082446/|title=Ignatieff called to reassure Dion, offer help|first=Jane|last=Taber|work=The Globe and Mail|date=September 19, 2007|access-date=25 May 2015}}</ref> The Liberals were defeated in their former stronghold of [[2007 Outremont by-election|Outremont]] by future NDP leader [[Thomas Mulcair]]. Since then, Ignatieff urged the Liberals to put aside their differences, saying "united we win, divided we lose".<ref>Canadian Press (September 28, 2007). [http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=n092813A "Ignatieff urges Libs to come together, says 'united we win, divided we lose.'"] ''Maclean's''. Retrieved October 6, 2007. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090110164430/http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=n092813A |date=January 10, 2009 }}</ref>

==== Interim Leader ====
[[File:Obama and Ignatieff in Ottawa 2009.jpg|thumb|right|295px|Ignatieff with US President [[Barack Obama]] in Ottawa on February 19, 2009]]
Dion announced that he would schedule his departure as Liberal leader for the next party convention, after the Liberals lost seats and support in the [[2008 Canadian federal election|2008 federal election]]. Ignatieff held a news conference on November 13, 2008, to once again announce his candidacy for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada.<ref>Whittington, Les (2008) [https://www.thestar.com/article/536753 Ignatieff vows a new course], Toronto Star, November 14, 2008</ref>

When the [[2008 Canadian parliamentary dispute|Liberals reached an accord]] with the other opposition parties to form a coalition and defeat the government, Ignatieff reluctantly endorsed it. He was reportedly uncomfortable with a coalition with the NDP and support from the Bloc Québécois, and has been described as one of the last Liberals to sign on.<ref>Ivison, John (2008) [https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/politics/story.html?id=1016916 Ignatieff touted to lead Liberal-NDP coalition] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20081204064015/http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/politics/story.html?id=1016916 |date=December 4, 2008 }} National Post, December 1, 2008
</ref><ref>Gunter, Lorne (2008) [http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=1090409 Ignatieff is too smart to topple Harper] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081221051647/http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=1090409 |date=December 21, 2008 }} The Edmonton Journal, December 18, 2008</ref><ref name="english.people.com.cn">{{cite web|url=http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90852/6551205.html|work=[[People's Daily]]|title=New Leader of Canada's Liberal Party says ready to form coalition| date=December 11, 2008| access-date= 25 December 2008}}</ref>
After the announcement to [[2008–2009 Canadian parliamentary dispute|prorogue]] Parliament, delaying the non-confidence motion until January 2009, Dion announced his intention to stay on as leader until the party selected a new one.<ref name="english.people.com.cn"/>

Leadership contender [[Dominic LeBlanc]] dropped out and threw his support behind Ignatieff. On December 9, the other remaining opponent for the Liberal Party leadership, [[Bob Rae]], withdrew from the race, leaving Ignatieff as the presumptive winner.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/rae-bows-out-offers-unqualified-support-for-ignatieff-as-liberal-leader-1.732354|title=Rae bows out, offers 'unqualified' support for Ignatieff as Liberal leader|date=December 9, 2008|publisher=CBC News|access-date=13 April 2014}}</ref>
On December 10, he was formally declared the interim leader in a caucus meeting, and his position was ratified at the May 2009 convention.<ref name="interim"/>

On February 19, 2009, during U.S. President [[Barack Obama]]'s election visit to [[Ottawa]] to meet Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]], which was the President's first foreign trip since taking office, Obama also met with Ignatieff as per parliamentary protocol where the leader of the opposition meets foreign dignitaries. Their discussion included climate change, Afghanistan and human rights.

=== Leader of the Liberal Party ===
On May 2, 2009, Ignatieff was officially endorsed as the leader of the Liberal Party by 97% of delegates at the party convention in [[Vancouver]], British Columbia.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ignatieff-slams-harper-for-failure-to-unite-canada-1.775666|title=Ignatieff slams Harper for 'failure to unite Canada'|date=May 2, 2009|publisher=CBC News|access-date=16 May 2018}}</ref> The vote was mostly a formality as the other candidates had stepped down.

On August 31, 2009, Ignatieff announced that the Liberal Party would withdraw support for the government of Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]]. However, the NDP under [[Jack Layton]] abstained and the Conservatives survived the confidence motion.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://ca.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idCATRE58T4BE20091001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715175324/http://ca.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idCATRE58T4BE20091001 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 15, 2011 |title=Canada's government survives non-confidence motion |work=Reuters |date=October 1, 2009 |access-date=28 April 2010}}</ref>
Ignatieff's attempt to force a September 2009 election was reported as a miscalculation, as polls showed that most Canadians did not want another election. Ignatieff's popularity as well as that of the Liberals dropped off considerably immediately afterwards.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ivison |first=John |author-link=John Ivison |date=November 14, 2009 |title=Ignatieff closes in on Dion territory |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/national-post-ignatieff-closes-in-on-dio/138491792/ |work=[[National Post]] |location=Toronto, Ontario |page=A6 |access-date=January 10, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref>

====2011 election====
On March 25, 2011, Ignatieff introduced a motion of [[Motion of no confidence|non-confidence]] against the Harper government to attempt to force a [[2011 Canadian federal election|May 2011 federal election]] after the government was found to be in [[contempt of Parliament]], the first such occurrence in [[Contempt of Parliament#Contempt citation cases for governments|Commonwealth history]]. The House of Commons passed the motion by 156–145.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/canada-watches-its-democracy-erode/story-e6frg6ux-1226030310248 |title=Canada watches its democracy erode'|date=March 30, 2011|work=The Australian|access-date=30 March 2011|first=Ramesh|last=Thakur}}</ref>

The Liberals had considerable momentum when the writ was dropped. Ignatieff successfully squeezed NDP leader [[Jack Layton]] out of media attention, by issuing challenges to Harper for one-on-one debates. In the first couple weeks of the campaign, Ignatieff kept his party in second place in the polls, and his personal ratings exceeded that of Layton for the first time. However opponents frequently criticized Ignatieff's perceived political opportunism, particularly during the [[leaders debate]]s when Layton criticized Ignatieff for having a poor attendance record for Commons votes saying "You know, most Canadians, if they don't show up for work, they don't get a promotion". Ignatieff failed to defend himself against these charges, and the debates were said to be a turning point for his party's campaign.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ignatieff-s-liberals-lose-official-opposition-status-1.1055540 |title=Ignatieff's Liberals lose Official Opposition status |publisher=CBC News |date=May 3, 2011 |access-date=16 May 2018}}</ref> Ignatieff was also subject to scathing attack ads by the Conservative Party, slamming him as "Just visiting" Canada and "[[He Didn't Come Back For You]]" for the sake of political advancement.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://parli.ca/just-visiting-2/ |title= Just visiting|work= The Dictionary of Canadian Politics|publisher= Parli|year= 2021|access-date= 2 April 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Keehn |first=Jeremy |date=April 29, 2011 |title=Michael Ignatieff: Is he too ambitious to become Canada's prime minister? |url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2011/04/michael-ignatieff-is-he-too-ambitious-to-become-canada-s-prime-minister.html |website=Slate Magazine}}</ref> Near the end of the campaign, a late surge in support for Layton and the NDP relegated Ignatieff and the Liberals to third in the polls.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wells |first=Paul |url=http://www.macleans.ca/authors/paul-wells/politics-turned-over/|title=The untold story of the 2011 election: Introduction and Chapter 1|work=Maclean's |date=May 4, 2011 |access-date=24 May 2015}}</ref>
{{rquote|right|When Michael Ignatieff resigned as leader of Canada's Liberals at a press conference in Toronto on May 3rd, members of his team were seen at the back of the room in tears.... [It was] the sad end of a six-year experiment that they had once believed would conclude with a unique man, Ignatieff himself, pulling the sword of political governance out of the stone of political theory and coming to power in Canada as a contemporary [[philosopher-king]].|Jordan Michael Smith, ''[[World Affairs]]'' July/August 2011<ref>{{cite journal| url= http://worldaffairsjournal.org/article/iggy-pops-michael-ignatieff-experiment| title= Iggy Pops: The Michael Ignatieff Experiment| last1= Smith| first1= Jordan Michael| date= July–August 2011| journal= [[World Affairs]]| publisher= [[American Peace Society]]| access-date= 24 May 2015| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150525063351/http://worldaffairsjournal.org/article/iggy-pops-michael-ignatieff-experiment| archive-date= May 25, 2015| url-status= usurped}}</ref>}}
On [[2011 Canadian federal election|May 2, 2011]], Ignatieff's Liberals lost 43 seats only winning 34 and thus slipped to third party status behind the NDP and the Conservatives, who gained a majority in Parliament. It was the worst result in the history of the Liberal Party, the worst result in Canadian history for an incumbent Official Opposition party, and the first time since Confederation the Liberals failed to finish first or second. Ignatieff was defeated by Conservative challenger [[Bernard Trottier]], being the first incumbent Leader of the Official Opposition to lose his own seat since [[Charles Tupper]]'s defeat in Cape Breton in 1900, as well as the first sitting Liberal leader since [[Mackenzie King]] lost his riding in the 1945 election. Reports suggested that Ignatieff had initially promised to move into a home inside his riding, but instead he resided in the downtown Toronto neighbourhood of Yorkville, which rankled Etobicoke–Lakeshore residents and reinforced perceptions of Ignatieff's political opportunism.<ref>{{cite web|last=Cosh |first=Colby |url=http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/the-giant-killer/ |title=How Bernard Trottier upset Michael Ignatieff |work=Maclean's |date=May 16, 2011 |access-date=24 May 2015}}</ref>

On May 3, 2011, Ignatieff announced that he would be resigning as leader of the party pending the appointment of an [[Interim leader (Canada)|interim leader]]; his resignation went into effect on May 25 when Bob Rae was appointed as Ignatieff's interim replacement.<ref>[http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3106543 Ignatieff resigns as Liberal leader] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722142438/http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3106543 |date=July 22, 2011 }}. Brantford Expositor, May 3, 2011. Retrieved May 3, 2011.</ref><ref>[http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/breakingnews/liberals-winners-and-losers-attend-goodbye-caucus-after-election-disaster.html Liberals meet to ponder interim leader, future as Ignatieff says goodbye]. ''Winnipeg Free Press'', May 11, 2011. Retrieved May 11, 2011.</ref>

==Post-political career==
In mid-2011, following his electoral defeat, Ignatieff became a senior resident with the [[University of Toronto]]'s [[Massey College]], where he taught courses in law and political science for the [[Munk School of Global Affairs]], the [[University of Toronto School of Public Policy and Governance|School of Public Policy and Governance]], and the [[University of Toronto Faculty of Law|Faculty of Law]].<ref>[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/michael-ignatieff-jumps-to-university-of-toronto/article2011390/ "Michael Ignatieff jumps to University of Toronto"]. ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', May 5, 2011.</ref> In January 2013, Ignatieff rejoined the [[Harvard Kennedy School]] and divided his time between Toronto and [[Cambridge, Massachusetts]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Dunn|first=Marj|title=Michael Ignatieff returns to Harvard|url=http://www.torontosun.com/2012/09/07/michael-ignatieff-returns-to-harvard|access-date=September 8, 2012|newspaper=Toronto Sun|date=September 7, 2012}}</ref> The next year, Ignatieff returned to Harvard full-time, and left the University of Toronto, to become Edward R. Murrow Chair of Press, Politics and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School effective July 1, 2014.<ref name=murrow>{{cite news|title=Michael Ignatieff gets full-time Harvard job|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/education/michael-ignatieff-gets-full-time-harvard-job/article19305712/|access-date=June 24, 2014|work=The Globe and Mail|date=June 24, 2014}}</ref>

In 2013, Ignatieff published a book about his political career called ''Fire and Ashes: Success and Failure in Politics''. The British reviewer [[David Runciman]] commented in a book review, "for a clear-eyed, sharply observed, mordant but ultimately hopeful account of contemporary politics this memoir is hard to beat. After his defeat, a friend tries to comfort him by telling him that at least he'll get a book out of it. Ignatieff reacts with understandable fury. He didn't go into politics and through all that followed just to write a book. Still, it's some book."<ref>{{cite news|last=Runciman|first=David|title=Fire and Ashes: Success and Failure in Politics by Michael Ignatieff – review|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/nov/27/michael-ignatieff-fire-ashes-review|access-date=March 10, 2014|newspaper=The Guardian|date=November 27, 2013}}</ref>

===President and Rector of Central European University===
On May 5, 2016, it was announced that Michael Ignatieff would succeed [[John Shattuck]] to become the fifth president and rector of the [[Central European University]] (CEU) in [[Budapest, Hungary]].<ref name=IgnatieffRector>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Michael Ignatieff Elected 5th President and Rector of CEU |url=https://www.ceu.edu/article/2016-05-05/michael-ignatieff-elected-5th-president-and-rector-ceu |newspaper=Central European University Newsroom |date=May 5, 2016 |access-date=May 14, 2016 }}</ref> On September 1, he was appointed the rector with the term ending on August 31, 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ceu.edu/article/2016-09-02/ignatieff-appointed-rector-ceu|title=Ignatieff Appointed Rector of CEU|date=September 2, 2016|publisher=Central European University|access-date=September 21, 2016}}</ref>

Ignatieff oversaw a tumultuous period in the university's history, during which it accused the Hungarian government of challenging its legal right to continue to operate in Hungary.<ref name="Liberal Hungarian university warns Viktor Orbán could force it abroad">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/15/central-european-university-ready-to-move-out-of-hungary|title=Liberal Hungarian university warns Viktor Orbán could force it abroad|date=May 15, 2018|work=The Guardian|access-date=September 28, 2018}}</ref> The position of Ignatieff and CEU was that the intervention from the Hungarian government was part of a wider vendetta on the part of prime minister [[Viktor Orbán]] against wealthy financier [[George Soros]], the university's chief benefactor.<ref name="Liberal Hungarian university warns Viktor Orbán could force it abroad" /> Ignatieff's personal position was that the strain between the Hungarian government and CEU is part of a wider tension in Europe between democratic ideals and authoritarian tendencies within the European conservative right.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/09/michael-ignatieff-warns-europe-future-viktor-orban-hungary-budapest-university|title=Europe's future hangs in balance, says head of a Budapest university|date=September 9, 2018|work=The Guardian|access-date=September 28, 2018}}</ref>

In 2019, Ignatieff was awarded the [https://www.dandavidprize.org/laureates/2019/present-defending-democracy/prof-michael-ignatieff Dan David Prize] for his contribution to defending democracy.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Laureates 2019|url=https://www.dandavidprize.org/laureates/2019|access-date=2020-10-25|website=www.dandavidprize.org|language=en-gb}}</ref> During this time he continued to publish in scholarly journals. An example is ''The Responsibility to Protect in a Changing World Order: Twenty Years since Its Inception'', an August 2021 article of his.<ref name="igna21">{{cite journal |doi=10.1017/S0892679421000228|title=The Responsibility to Protect in a Changing World Order: Twenty Years since Its Inception |year=2021 |last1=Ignatieff |first1=Michael |journal=Ethics & International Affairs |volume=35 |issue=2 |pages=177–180 |s2cid=237204893 |doi-access=free |hdl=20.500.14018/13897 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>

On 31 July 2021, Ignatieff stepped down as rector of CEU to be replaced by [[Shalini Randeria]] and announced he would step back into the classroom as a professor of history at CEU in January 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Message from the Rector|url=https://www.ceu.edu/article/2021-07-31/message-rector|access-date=2021-07-31|website=www.ceu.edu|language=en-gb}}</ref>

== Views ==

=== International affairs ===
In October 2006, Ignatieff indicated that he personally would not support ballistic missile defence nor the weaponization of space.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.canada.com/topics/news/politics/story.html?id=f56c529c-c7c8-4133-8f9f-69be8ed7f3d0&k=65028 |work=Ottawa Citizen |title=Ignatieff against Canadian role in U.S. missile defence plan |date=October 17, 2006 |first=Juliet |last=O'Neill |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929111249/http://www.canada.com/topics/news/politics/story.html?id=f56c529c-c7c8-4133-8f9f-69be8ed7f3d0&k=65028 |archive-date=September 29, 2007 |df=mdy }}</ref> He referred to the likelihood of America developing a Missile Defense System in his book ''Virtual War'', but did not voice support for Canadian participation in such a scheme.<ref name="peacemag">{{cite news | url = http://www.peacemagazine.org/archive/v16n4p26.htm | access-date = 11 August 2006 | work = Peace Magazine | date = October–December 2000 | title = Review: Virtual War | first = Derek | last=Paul}}</ref>

On June 3, 2008, and on March 30, 2009, Ignatieff voted in support of ''non-binding'' motions in the House of Commons calling on the government to "allow [[conscientious objectors]] ... to a war not sanctioned by the United Nations ... [(including [[Canada and Iraq War resisters|Iraq war resisters]])] ... to ... remain in Canada ... ."<ref>{{cite news
| url = https://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/436575
| title = MPs vote to give asylum to U.S. military deserters
| first = Joanna| last = Smith
| work = Toronto Star
| date = June 3, 2008
| access-date = 19 July 2008}}
</ref><ref>
{{cite web
 |url=http://cmte.parl.gc.ca/cmte/CommitteePublication.aspx?SourceId=222011
 |title=Report&nbsp;– Iraq War Resisters / Rapport&nbsp;–Opposants à la guerre en Irak
 |publisher=House of Commons / Chambre des Communes, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
 |access-date=9 June 2008
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090213025638/http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?DocId=3204056&Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=39&Ses=2
 |archive-date=February 13, 2009
}}
</ref><ref>
{{cite web
 |url=http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=39&Ses=2&DocId=3543213#Int-2506938
 |title=Official Report * Table of Contents * Number 104 (Official Version)
 |publisher=House of Commons / Chambre des Communes, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
 |access-date=9 June 2008
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080926040349/http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=39&Ses=2&DocId=3543213
 |archive-date=September 26, 2008
}}
</ref><ref name="Cooper">
{{cite news |first= Alex|last= Cooper|title= Federal court to hear American war resister's appeal|url= https://www.thestar.com/article/622278|work= [[Toronto Star]] |date= April 21, 2009|access-date=April 23, 2009 }}
</ref><ref>
{{cite web
 |url=http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=40&Ses=2&DocId=3781662#OOB-2683958
 |title=40th PARLIAMENT, 2nd SESSION, EDITED HANSARD • NUMBER 036, CONTENTS, Monday, March 30, 2009
 |publisher=parl.gc.ca
 |access-date=28 March 2011
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091126040806/http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=40&Ses=2&DocId=3781662
 |archive-date=November 26, 2009
}}</ref> However, on September 29, 2010, [[Canada and Iraq War resisters#Bill C-440 introduced in Parliament|when those motions were proposed as a ''binding'' private member's bill]] from Liberal MP [[Gerard Kennedy]], [[CTV News]] reported that Ignatieff "walked out during the vote."<ref name="outlast">{{cite web |url= https://www.ctvnews.ca/outlast-harper-likely-stay-in-canada-chow-tells-war-deserters-1.563775| title= Outlast Harper, likely stay in Canada Chow tells war deserters|author=[[The Canadian Press]]; republished online by [[CTV Television Network]] |date= October 16, 2010|publisher=[[CTV Television Network]] online |access-date=October 23, 2010}}</ref> The bill then failed to pass this second reading vote by seven votes.

=== Extension of Canada's Afghanistan mission ===

During his time in Parliament, Ignatieff was one of the few opposition members supporting the minority Conservative government's commitment to [[Canada's role in the Afghanistan War|Canadian military activity in Afghanistan]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?pub=Hansard&doc=25&Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=39&Ses=1#T1800 |title=Official Report * Table of Contents * Number 025 (Official Version) |publisher=.parl.gc.ca |access-date=28 April 2010}}</ref> Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]] called a vote in the House of Commons for May 17, 2006, on extending the Canadian Forces current deployment in [[Afghanistan]] until February 2009. During the debate, Ignatieff expressed his "unequivocal support for the troops in Afghanistan, for the mission, and also for the renewal of the mission." He argued that the Afghanistan mission tests the success of Canada's shift from "the peacekeeping paradigm to the peace-enforcement paradigm," the latter combining "military, reconstruction and humanitarian efforts together."<ref name="vote divides">{{cite news | url = https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/vote-divides-liberal-hawks-from-doves/article18163214/ | first = Campbell | last = Clark | title = Vote divides Liberal hawks from doves | date = May 19, 2006 | access-date=24 May 2015 | work=The Globe and Mail | location=Toronto}}</ref><ref name="narrow vote">{{cite news | url = http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060517/nato_afghan_060517/20060517?hub=CTVNewsAt11 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210413214217/https://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060517/nato_afghan_060517/20060517?hub=CTVNewsAt11 | url-status = dead | archive-date = April 13, 2021 | title = MPs narrowly vote to extend Afghanistan mission | date = May 17, 2006 | access-date=11 August 2006 | publisher=CTV.ca}}</ref> The opposition Liberal caucus of 102 MPs was divided, with 24 MPs supporting the extension, 66 voting against, and 12 abstentions. Among Liberal leadership candidates, Ignatieff and [[Scott Brison]] voted for the extension. Ignatieff led the largest Liberal contingent of votes in favour, with at least five of his caucus supporters voting along with him to extend the mission.<ref name="flat footed">{{cite news | url = http://www.hilltimes.com/news/2006/05/22/afghanistan-vote-leaves-federal-liberals-flat-footed/16801 |url-access=subscription | first = F. Abbas | last = Rana |author2=Persichilli, Angelo |author3=Vongdouangchanh | title = Afghanistan vote leaves federal Liberals flat-footed | date = May 22, 2006 | access-date=24 May 2015 | work = The Hill Times}}</ref>
The vote was 149–145 for extending the military deployment.<ref name="narrow vote" /> Following the vote, Harper shook Ignatieff's hand.<ref name="Harper shake">{{cite news|url=http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=07a874aa-4e70-488e-b622-ab611d640a09&k=26718 |first=John |last=Bryden |title=Harper may have used Afghan vote to ensare Ignatieff |date=May 18, 2006 |access-date=11 August 2006 |work=National Post |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060827061906/http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=07a874aa-4e70-488e-b622-ab611d640a09&k=26718 |archive-date=August 27, 2006 |df=mdy }}</ref> In a subsequent campaign appearance, Ignatieff reiterated his view of the mission in Afghanistan. He stated: "the thing that Canadians have to understand about Afghanistan is that we are well past the era of [[Lester Pearson|Pearsonian]] peacekeeping."<ref name="challenges">{{cite news | url = http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/National/2006/05/20/1589327-sun.html | archive-url = https://archive.today/20070929090702/http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/National/2006/05/20/1589327-sun.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = September 29, 2007 | first = Kate | last = Dubinski | title = Challenges to unity many, Ignatieff says| date = May 20, 2006 | access-date=11 August 2006 | publisher = The London Free Press}}</ref>

=== Climate change policy ===
In the 2006 Liberal leadership race, Ignatieff advocated for measures to address [[climate change]], including a [[carbon tax]].<ref>{{cite web |author=O'Neil, P. |date=August 21, 2006 |url=http://www2.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=ed009175-7814-44f0-aa99-327a4209a259 |title=Ignatieff calls for 'carbon tax' to aid climate |work=The Vancouver Sun |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080624220456/http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=ed009175-7814-44f0-aa99-327a4209a259 |archive-date=June 24, 2008 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> During the 2008 federal election Dion's key policy plank was his Green Shift plan, a revenue neutral carbon tax which would put a price on greenhouse gas emissions while reducing income taxes.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dion's Green Shift Plan|url=http://www.canadiancapitalist.com/dions-green-shift-plan/|access-date=August 27, 2012|newspaper=Money Sense|date=July 19, 2008}}</ref> The Green Shift had been heavily criticized by the Conservatives and was believed to have been a significant factor in the party's poor showing in the election.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dion to resign after Liberals choose new leader|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/dion-to-resign-after-liberals-choose-new-leader-1.703676|access-date=May 16, 2018|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=October 20, 2008}}</ref> Following the election Ignatieff announced he would not campaign on Dion's Green Shift. In a speech to the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce in February 2009, he said; "You can't win elections if you're adding to the input costs of a farmer putting diesel into his tractor, or you're adding to the input costs of a fisherman putting diesel into his fishing boat, or a trucker transporting goods". He went onto say that; "You've got to work with the grain of Canadians and not against them. I think we learned a lesson in the last election."<ref>{{cite news|last=Whittington|first=Les|title=Dion's carbon tax plan was a vote loser, Ignatieff says|url=https://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/594543|access-date=August 27, 2012|newspaper=Toronto Star|date=February 28, 2009}}</ref> In November 2009, he announced that a Liberal government would implement an industrial cap-and-trade system to [[climate change mitigation|combat climate change]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Taber|first=Jane|title=Liberals ditch carbon tax in favour of cap-and-trade climate policy|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/liberals-ditch-carbon-tax-in-favour-of-cap-and-trade-climate-policy/article1346212/|access-date=August 27, 2012|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|date=November 26, 2009}}</ref>

=== Forming of a potential coalition government ===
During the [[2011 Canadian federal election|spring 2011 federal election]], Ignatieff ruled out the formation of a coalition government with the NDP and Bloc parties.  Contrary to the suggestion from the Conservative party that he was planning to form a government with the other opposition parties, Ignatieff issued a statement on March 26, 2011, stating that "[t]he party that wins the most seats on election day will form the government".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ignatieff-rules-out-coalition/article1958015/ |title=Ignatieff rules out coalition |work=[[The Globe and Mail]]|date=March 26, 2011| access-date=March 29, 2011 |location=Toronto |first=Jane |last=Taber}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/962267--ignatieff-swears-off-post-election-coalition?bn=1 |title=Ignatieff swears off post-election coalition|work=[[Toronto Star]]| access-date= March 29, 2011|first=Les|last=Whittington|date=March 26, 2011}}</ref>

== Honorary degrees ==
Ignatieff had received several honorary doctorates, including:

;Honorary degrees
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
! style="width:20%;"| Location
! style="width:20%;"| Date
! style="width:40%;"| School
! style="width:20%;"| Degree
|-
| {{Flagu|Quebec}} || '''1995''' || [[Bishop's University]] || [[Doctor of Civil Law]] (DCL)
|-
| {{Flagu|Scotland}} || '''28 June 1996''' || [[University of Stirling]] || [[Doctor of the University]] (D. Univ)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.externalrelations.stir.ac.uk/events/honorary-graduates/1988-1997.php |title=Honorary Graduates of The University of Stirling&nbsp;– 1988 to 1997 |publisher=University of Stirling |access-date=28 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130903233142/http://www.externalrelations.stir.ac.uk/events/honorary-graduates/1988-1997.php |archive-date=September 3, 2013 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
|-
| {{Flagu|Ontario}} || '''25 October 2001''' || [[Queen's University at Kingston|Queen's University]] || [[Doctor of Laws]] (LL.D)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.queensu.ca/secretariat/senate/HDfall01.html |title=University Senate |publisher=Queen's University |access-date=28 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040821024911/http://www.queensu.ca/secretariat/senate/HDfall01.html |archive-date=August 21, 2004 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
|-
| {{Flagu|Ontario}} || '''26 October 2001''' || [[University of Western Ontario]] || [[Doctor of Letters]]
(D.Litt.)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/senate/minutes/2001/r0109hdg.html |title=Report of the Honorary Degrees Committee |publisher=University of Western Ontario |date=September 21, 2001 |access-date=28 April 2010}}</ref>
|-
| {{Flagu|New Brunswick}} || '''2001''' || [[University of New Brunswick]] || [[Doctor of Letters]]
(D.Litt.)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lib.unb.ca/archives/HonoraryDegrees/results.php?action=browse&name=I&startswith=1 |title=UNB Honorary Degrees Database |publisher= University of New Brunswick |access-date=28 April 2010}}</ref>
|-
| {{Flagu|Quebec}} || '''17 June 2002''' || [[McGill University]] || [[Doctor of Letters]]
(D.Litt.)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/news/item/?item_id=9790 |title=News: The Oscars of academia? |publisher=Mcgill.ca |access-date=28 March 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url= https://www.mcgill.ca/reporter/34/17/honorary/ |title=Honorary doctorates |publisher=McGill University |access-date=28 March 2011}}</ref>
|-
| {{Flagu|Saskatchewan}} || '''28 May 2003''' || [[University of Regina]] || [[Doctor of Laws]] (LL.D)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.uregina.ca/news/newsreleases.php?release=323 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120918084624/http://www.uregina.ca/news/newsreleases.php?release=323 |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 18, 2012 |title=University of Regina&nbsp;– External Relations |publisher=Uregina.ca |date=May 22, 2003 |access-date=28 April 2010 }}</ref>
|-
| {{Flagu|Washington}} || '''2004''' || [[Whitman College]] || [[Doctor of Laws]] (LL.D)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.whitman.edu/content/commencement/history/honorary |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120805211835/http://www.whitman.edu/content/commencement/history/honorary |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-08-05 |title=Honorary Degree Recipients (from present to 1890) |publisher=Whitman.edu |access-date=28 April 2010 }}</ref>
|-
| {{Flagu|New York}} || '''21 May 2006''' || [[Niagara University]] || [[Doctor of Humane Letters]] (DHL)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.niagara.edu/news/printnews.php?id=1331|title=Niagara University|date=2006-09-06|access-date=2019-11-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060906085736/http://www.niagara.edu/news/printnews.php?id=1331|archive-date=September 6, 2006}}</ref>
|-
| {{Flagu|Netherlands}} || '''2007''' || [[Tilburg University]] || Doctorate<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/about/profile/awards/honorary-doctorates/|title=Honorary doctorates Tilburg University|website=Tilburg University|access-date=May 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180819010956/https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/about/profile/awards/honorary-doctorates/|archive-date=August 19, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|{{Flagu|Scotland}}
|'''2018'''
|[[University of Edinburgh]]
|Doctor of Science in Social Science<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ignatieff Awarded Honorary Degree by University of Edinburgh {{!}} Central European University |url=https://www.ceu.edu/article/2018-07-03/ignatieff-awarded-honorary-degree-university-edinburgh |access-date=2024-09-16 |website=www.ceu.edu}}</ref>
|-
|{{Flagu|Netherlands}}
|'''25 January 2019'''
|[[Maastricht University]]
|Doctorate<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-01-15 |title=Honorary laureate Michael Ignatieff on freedom and democracy - News - Maastricht University |url=https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/news/honorary-laureate-michael-ignatieff-freedom-and-democracy |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=www.maastrichtuniversity.nl |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|{{FlagIOC|GBR}}
|'''2024'''
|[[University of Cambridge]]
|Doctorate<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-19 |title=Cambridge confers honorary degrees {{!}} University of Cambridge |url=https://www.cam.ac.uk/news/cambridge-confers-honorary-degrees |access-date=2024-09-16 |website=www.cam.ac.uk |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|}
{{Incomplete list|date=February 2018}}

== Electoral record ==
{{2011 Canadian federal election/Etobicoke—Lakeshore}}
{{2008 Canadian federal election/Etobicoke—Lakeshore}}
{{2006 Canadian federal election/Etobicoke—Lakeshore}}

== Bibliography ==
{{Incomplete list|date=July 2018}}

===Books===
====Novels====
*''Asya'', 1991<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ignatieff|first=Michael|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-J_JAQAACAAJ|title=Asya|date=1992|publisher=Penguin Group (Canada)|isbn=978-0-14-015727-7|language=en}}</ref>
*''Scar Tissue'', 1993<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ignatieff|first=Michael|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/502317352|title=Scar tissue|date=2006|publisher=Penguin Group|isbn=978-0-14-305466-5|location=Toronto|language=English|oclc=502317352}}</ref>
* ''[[Charlie Johnson in the Flames]]'', 2005<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ignatieff|first=Michael|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/58055613|title=Charlie Johnson in the flames|date=2005|publisher=Grove Press|isbn=978-0-8021-4182-8|location=New York|language=English|oclc=58055613}}</ref>

====Non-fiction====
{{external media| float = right| video1 = [https://www.c-span.org/video/?117773-1/isaiah-berlin-life ''Booknotes'' interview with Michael Ignatieff on ''Isaiah Berlin: A Life'', January 24, 1999], [[C-SPAN]]| video2 = [https://www.c-span.org/video/?157120-1/virtual-war Presentation by Ignatieff on ''Virtual War'', May 9, 2000], [[C-SPAN]]| video3 = [https://www.c-span.org/video/?182316-2/the-lesser-evil ''Washington Journal'' interview with Ignatieff on ''The Lesser Evil'', June 17, 2004], [[C-SPAN]]}}
* ''A Just Measure of Pain: Penitentiaries in the Industrial Revolution, 1780–1850'', 1978<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ignatieff|first=Michael|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1117173777|title=A just measure of pain|date=1978|publisher=Macmillan|isbn=978-0-333-25808-8|location=London|language=English|oclc=1117173777}}</ref>
* (ed. with [[István Hont]]) ''Wealth and Virtue: The Shaping of Political Economy in the Scottish Enlightenment'', 1983<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Hont|first1=Istvan|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/9255852|title=Wealth and virtue: the shaping of political economy in the Scottish enlightenment|last2=Ignatieff|first2=Michael|date=1983|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-23397-2|location=Cambridge [Cambridgeshire]; New York|language=English|oclc=9255852}}</ref>
* ''The Needs of Strangers'', 1984<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ignatieff|first=Michael|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/832316579|title=The needs of strangers|date=1994|publisher=Vintage |isbn=978-0-09-943551-8|language=English|oclc=832316579}}</ref>
* ''The Russian Album'', 1987<ref>{{Cite book|title=Détails sur le document pour The Russian album|url=https://bac-lac.on.worldcat.org/oclc/15594820?lang=fr&new=-8585794722145608284|access-date=2021-05-27|via=bac-lac.on.worldcat.org| year=1987 | publisher=Viking | isbn=9780670810574 }}</ref>
* ''Blood and Belonging: Journeys Into the New Nationalism'', 1994<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ignatieff|first=Michael|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/838691206|title=Blood and belonging: journeys into the new nationalism|date=1994|publisher=Farrar, Straus and Giroux|location=New York|language=English|oclc=838691206}}</ref>
* ''Warrior's Honour: Ethnic War and the Modern Conscience'', 1997<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ignatieff|first=Michael|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/475541923|title=The warrior's honor: ethnic war and the modern conscience|date=1999|publisher=Vintage|isbn=978-0-09-957741-6|location=London|language=English|oclc=475541923}}</ref>
* ''Isaiah Berlin: A Life'', 1998<ref>{{Cite web|title=Catalog - The City Library|url=https://catalog.slcpl.org/Search/|access-date=2021-05-27|website=catalog.slcpl.org|language=en}}</ref>
* ''Virtual War: Kosovo and Beyond'', 2000<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ignatieff|first=Michael|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/43185394|title=Virtual war: Kosovo and beyond|date=2000|publisher=Henry Holt|isbn=978-0-8050-6490-2|location=New York|language=English|oclc=43185394}}</ref>
* ''The Rights Revolution'', 2000<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ignatieff|first=Michael|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/757187371|title=The rights revolution|date=2007|publisher=Anansi|isbn=978-0-88784-762-2|location=Toronto|language=English|oclc=757187371}}</ref>
* ''Human Rights as Politics and Idolatry'', 2001<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Ignatieff|first1=Michael|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/780615893|title=Human rights as politics and idolatry|last2=Gutmann|first2=Amy|date=2003|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=978-0-691-11474-3|location=Princeton; Oxford|language=English|oclc=780615893}}</ref>
* ''Empire Lite: Nation-Building in Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan'', 2003<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ignatieff|first=Michael|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/936501532|title=Empire lite: nation building in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan|date=2003|publisher=Vintage|isbn=978-0-09-945543-1|location=London|language=English|oclc=936501532}}</ref>
* ''[[The Lesser Evil: Political Ethics in an Age of Terror]]'', 2004<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ignatieff|first=Michael|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/314196921|title=The lesser evil: political ethics in an age of terror; the Gifford lectures|date=2004|publisher=Edinburgh Univ. Press|isbn=978-0-7486-1872-9|location=Edinburgh|language=English|oclc=314196921}}</ref> (2003 [[Gifford Lectures]])
* (ed.) ''American Exceptionalism and Human Rights'', 2005<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ignatieff|first=Michael|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/238647594|title=American exceptionalism and human rights|date=2005|publisher=Princeton Univ. Press|isbn=978-0-691-11648-8|location=Princeton|language=English|oclc=238647594}}</ref>
* ''True Patriot Love'', 2009<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ignatieff|first=Michael|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/318233059|title=True patriot love: four generations in search of Canada|date=2009|publisher=Viking Canada|isbn=978-0-670-06972-9|location=Toronto|language=English|oclc=318233059}}</ref>
* ''Fire and Ashes: Success and Failure in Politics'', 2013<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ignatieff|first=Michael|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/833553292|title=Fire and ashes: success and failure in politics|date=2015|publisher=Random House of Canada |isbn=978-0-345-81327-5|language=English|oclc=833553292}}</ref>
* ''The Ordinary Virtues: Moral Order in a Divided World'', 2017<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ignatieff|first=Michael|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1055003756|title=The ordinary virtues: moral order in a divided world|date=2017|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=978-0-674-97627-6|location=Cambridge [etc.|language=English|oclc=1055003756}}</ref>
* ''On Consolation: Finding Solace in Dark Times'', 2021<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ignatieff|first=Michael|url=http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1263264302|title=On consolation: finding solace in dark times|date=2021|publisher=Metropolitan Books|isbn=978-1-529-05377-7|location=New York [etc.|language=English|oclc=1263264302}}</ref>

=== In committee ===
* {{cite news |last1=Evans |first1=Gareth |last2=Sahnoun |first2=Mohamed |last3=Côté-Harper |first3=Gisèle |first4=Lee |last4=Hamilton |first5=Michael |last5=Ignatieff |first6=Vladimir |last6=Lukin |first7=Klaus |last7=Naumann |first8=Cyril |last8=Ramaphosa |first9=Fidel V. |last9=Ramos |first10=Cornelio |last10=Sommaruga |first11=Eduardo |last11=Stein Barillas |first12=Ramesh |last12=Thakur |title=The Responsibility to Protect: Report of the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty |url=https://www.idrc.ca/en/book/responsibility-protect-report-international-commission-intervention-and-state-sovereignty |access-date=29 January 2023 |publisher=International Development Research Centre
|author-link1=Gareth Evans (politician)
|author-link2=Mohammed Sahnoun
|author-link3=Gisèle Côté-Harper
|author-link4=Lee Hamilton
|author-link5=Michael Ignatieff
|author-link6=Vladimir Lukin
|author-link7=Klaus Naumann
|author-link8=Cyril Ramaphosa
|author-link9=Fidel Ramos
|author-link10=Cornelio Sommaruga
|author-link11=Eduardo Stein
|author-link12=Ramesh Thakur
}}

=== Essays and reporting ===
* "The Meaning of Diana", ''[[Prospect (magazine)|Prospect]]'', October 23, 1997.<ref>[https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/magazine/themeaningofdiana The Meaning of Diana], ''[[Prospect (magazine)|Prospect]]'', October 23, 1997. A review of Diana Spencer.</ref>
* "Intervention and State Failure", ''Dissent'', Winter 2002.
* "Is the Human Rights Era Ending?", ''New York Times'', February 5, 2002.
* "Barbarians at the Gates?", ''The New York Times Book Review'', February 18, 2002.
* "Why Bush Must Send in His Troops", ''The Guardian'', April 19, 2002.
* "No Exceptions?", ''Legal Affairs'', May/June 2002.
* "The Rights Stuff", ''New York Times of Books'', June 13, 2002.
* "Nation Building Lite" (cover story), ''The New York Times Magazine'', July 28, 2002.
* "The Divided West", ''The Financial Times'', August 31, 2002.
* "When a Bridge Is Not a Bridge", ''New York Times Magazine'', October 27, 2002.
* "Mission Impossible?", A Review of ''A Bed for the Night: Humanitarianism in Crisis'', by David Rieff (Simon and Schuster, 2002), ''The New York Review of Books'', December 19, 2002.
* "American Empire: The Burden" (cover story), ''The New York Times Magazine'', January 5, 2003.
* "I am Iraq", ''The New York Times Magazine'', March 31, 2003 (Reprinted in ''The Guardian'' and ''The National Post'').
* "A Mess of Intervention. Peacekeeping. Pre-emption. Liberation. Revenge. When should we send in the Troops?" (cover story), ''The New York Times Magazine'', September 7, 2003.
* "Why America Must Know Its Limits", ''Financial Times'', December 24, 2003.
* "Arms and the Inspector", ''Los Angeles Times'', March 14, 2004.
* "The Year of Living Dangerously", ''The New York Times Magazine'', March 14, 2004.
* "Could We Lose the War on Terror?: Lesser Evils" (cover story), ''The New York Times Magazine'', May 2, 2004.
* "Mirage in the Desert", ''The New York Times Magazine'', June 27, 2004.
* "The Terrorist as Auteur", ''The New York Times Magazine'', November 14, 2004.
* "The Uncommitted", ''The New York Times Magazine'', January 30, 2005.
* "Who Are Americans to Think That Freedom Is Theirs to Spread?", ''The New York Times Magazine'', June 26, 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/05/magazine/05iraq-t.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180503015527/https://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/05/magazine/05iraq-t.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 3, 2018|title=Iraq – Washington – Military Forces – Politics and Government|website=[[The New York Times]]|date=May 3, 2018|access-date=May 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/01/magazine/cia-what-did-the-cia-do-to-his-father.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180305223117/http://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/01/magazine/cia-what-did-the-cia-do-to-his-father.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 5, 2018|title=C.I.A.; What Did the C.I.A. Do to His Father?|website=[[The New York Times]]|date=March 5, 2018|access-date=May 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/12/magazine/democratic-providentialism.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180509205810/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/12/magazine/democratic-providentialism.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 9, 2018|title=Democratic Providentialism|website=[[The New York Times]]|date=May 9, 2018|access-date=May 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com:80/2000/08/06/magazine/the-reluctant-imperialist.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170505211106/http://www.nytimes.com/2000/08/06/magazine/the-reluctant-imperialist.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 5, 2017|title=The Reluctant Imperialist|website= The New York Times|date=May 5, 2017|access-date=May 9, 2018|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com:80/2010/02/07/magazine/07FOB-wwln-t.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814220700/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/07/magazine/07FOB-wwln-t.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 14, 2017|title=Winter Wonder Brand|website=The New York Times|date=August 14, 2017|access-date=May 9, 2018|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/27/magazine/the-way-we-live-now-6-27-04-mirage-in-the-desert.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819010223/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/27/magazine/the-way-we-live-now-6-27-04-mirage-in-the-desert.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 19, 2016|title=THE WAY WE LIVE NOW: 6-27-04; Mirage in The Desert|website=[[The New York Times]]|date=August 19, 2016|access-date=May 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/14/magazine/the-way-we-live-now-3-14-04-the-year-of-living-dangerously.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019004933/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/14/magazine/the-way-we-live-now-3-14-04-the-year-of-living-dangerously.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 19, 2017|title=THE WAY WE LIVE NOW: 3-14-04; The Year of Living Dangerously|website=[[The New York Times]]|date=October 19, 2017|access-date=May 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/23/magazine/the-way-we-live-now-3-23-03-i-am-iraq.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171228185741/http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/23/magazine/the-way-we-live-now-3-23-03-i-am-iraq.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 28, 2017|title=THE WAY WE LIVE NOW: 3-23-03; I Am Iraq|website=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 28, 2017|access-date=May 9, 2018}}</ref><ref name="archive.org">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/26/magazine/who-are-americans-to-think-that-freedom-is-theirs-to-spread.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019004815/http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/26/magazine/who-are-americans-to-think-that-freedom-is-theirs-to-spread.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 19, 2017|title=Who Are Americans to Think That Freedom Is Theirs to Spread?|website=[[The New York Times]]|date=October 19, 2017|access-date=May 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com:80/2002/10/27/magazine/when-a-bridge-is-not-a-bridge.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170320033100/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/27/magazine/when-a-bridge-is-not-a-bridge.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 20, 2017|title=When A Bridge Is Not A Bridge|website=The New York Times|date=March 20, 2017|access-date=May 9, 2018|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/02/magazine/lesser-evils.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171018134329/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/02/magazine/lesser-evils.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 18, 2017|title=Lesser Evils|website=[[The New York Times]]|date=October 18, 2017|access-date=May 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com:80/2005/09/25/magazine/the-broken-contract.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151115093003/http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/25/magazine/the-broken-contract.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 15, 2015|title=The Broken Contract|website= The New York Times|date=November 15, 2015|access-date=May 9, 2018|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/17/magazine/iranian-lessons.html?_r=0|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180509211804/https://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/17/magazine/iranian-lessons.html?_r=0|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 9, 2018|title=Iranian Lessons|website = [[The New York Times]]|date=May 9, 2018|access-date=May 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/05/magazine/the-american-empire-the-burden.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229015336/http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/05/magazine/the-american-empire-the-burden.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 29, 2017|title=THE AMERICAN EMPIRE; The Burden|website=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 29, 2017|access-date=May 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/07/magazine/why-are-we-in-iraq-and-liberia-and-afghanistan.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171227062110/http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/07/magazine/why-are-we-in-iraq-and-liberia-and-afghanistan.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 27, 2017|title=Why Are We In Iraq?; (And Liberia? And Afghanistan?)|website=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 27, 2017|access-date=May 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/28/magazine/nation-building-lite.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180509212421/https://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/28/magazine/nation-building-lite.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 9, 2018|title=Nation-Building Lite|website=[[The New York Times]]|date=May 9, 2018|access-date=May 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/apr/19/israel3 Why Bush must send in his troops], ''[[The Guardian]]'', April 19, 2002. On why Ignatieff believes a two-state solution is the last chance for Middle East peace.</ref><ref>[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B03E6DA143FF936A35752C0A9659C8B63&scp=1&sq=The%20Burden%20Ignatieff&st=cse The Burden], ''[[The New York Times Magazine]]'', January 5, 2003. Written just prior to the Iraq war, this article explains his support for the invasion.</ref><ref>[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D01E1D6173EF937A25750C0A9629C8B63 "The Year of Living Dangerously"], ''[[The New York Times Magazine]]'', March 14, 2004. A follow-up to ''The Burden'', discussing the war.</ref><ref>[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9507E6DA1F3AF931A35756C0A9629C8B63&scp=1&sq=lesser%20evils%20Ignatieff&st=cse "Lesser Evils"], ''[[The New York Times Magazine]]'', May 2, 2004, An article on finding the balance between civil liberties and security.</ref><ref>[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/Page/document/v5/content/subscribe?user_URL=https://www.theglobeandmail.com%2Fservlet%2Fstory%2FLAC.20050304.COIGNAT04%2FTPStory%2F%3Fquery%3DA%2BGenerous%2BHelping%2Bof%2BLiberal%2BBrains%2BIgnatieff&ord=122489278&brand=theglobeandmail&redirect_reason=2&denial_reasons=none&force_login=false "A Generous Helping of Liberal Brains"], ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', March 4, 2005 (subscription). An excerpt from his address to the biennial policy conference of the Liberal Party.</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/26/magazine/26EXCEPTION.html?scp=1&sq=Are%20Americans%20to%20Think%20That%20Freedom%20Is%20Theirs%20to%20Spread?%20Ignatieff&st=cse Who Are Americans to Think That Freedom Is Theirs to Spread? ], ''[[The New York Times Magazine]]'', June 26, 2005.  Ignatieff on Spreading Democracy</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/05/magazine/05iraq-t.html "Getting Iraq Wrong"], ''[[The New York Times Magazine]]'', August 5, 2007.</ref>
* "Iranian Lessons", ''The New York Times Magazine'', July 17, 2005.
* "The Broken Contract", ''The New York Times Magazine'', September 25, 2005.
* "What I Would Do If I Were The Prime Minister", ''Maclean's'', September 4, 2006.
* "Getting Iraq Wrong", ''The New York Times Magazine'', August 5, 2007.

=== Television reviews ===
{|class='wikitable sortable' width='90%'
|-
!width=25%|Program title
!|Director
!class='unsortable'|Reviewed in
!Channel/Platform
!Notes
|-
|Wormwood
|[[Errol Morris]]
|{{cite journal |author=Ignatieff, Michael |date=February 22, 2018 |title=Who killed Frank Olson? |journal=The New York Review of Books |volume=65 |issue=3 |pages=42–43}}
|Netflix
|6 episodes
|-
|}

=== Screenplays ===
* ''[[Onegin (1999 film)|Onegin]]'', 1999 (with Peter Ettedgui)
* ''[[1919 (film)|1919]]'', 1985 (with [[Hugh Brody]])

=== Drama ===
* ''Dialogue in the Dark'', 1989 ([[BBC]])

== See also ==
{{Portal|Canada|Politics}}
* [[List of Canadian Leaders of the Opposition]]
* [[Official Opposition (Canada)]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{Sister project links |author=Michael Ignatieff |commonscat=yes |b=no |d=Q311684 |v=no |wikt=no |s=no}}
* [http://www.michaelignatieff.ca/ Michael Ignatieff Homepage]
*{{Canadian Parliament links|ID=4927}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060904230300/http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth141 Michael Ignatieff Biography] from contemporarywriters.com
* {{IMDb name|id=0407199|name=Michael Ignatieff}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140228110103/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/en/article/michael-ignatieff/ "Michael Grant Ignatieff"] from [[The Canadian Encyclopedia]]
* {{C-SPAN|57927}}

{{Leaders of the Liberal Party of Canada}}
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{{Canadian federal opposition leaders}}
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