David Jacobson: Liberal Caucus

Bob Rae Dept: It was an elegant gesture on Harper's part, the right and honourable thing to do. Harper was passing up a chance to expose divisions in the Liberal caucus in return for a united front on a vital question of national interest, according to Montreal Gazette. The trade-off was negotiated over weeks by Liberal foreign affairs critic Bob Rae in delicate talks with Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon. Even the U.S. ambassador David Jacobson got involved in a discussion of the new NATO timeline for withdrawal in 2014 and michael Ignatieff got a free pass when Stephen Harper agreed to forego a vote on re-profiling Canada's Afghan mission from combat to training in return for the Liberals' support. Besides, on two previous occasions in 2006 and 2008, Ignatieff supported the mission, when it could not have been easy for him, especially in the midst of the 2006 leadership campaign. On that occasion, Harper famously crossed the floor to shake Iggy's hand. As reported in the news.
@t nato timeline, foreign affairs minister