Nobodies... with wallets

Everybody talks about empowering backbench MPs. But nobody seems to mean what they say. At any rate, in today's Globe and Mail Brian Laghi and Jane Taber report that Michael Ignatieff has announced that he'll protect sitting Liberal MPs from primary challenges provided they turn up enough members and enough donors to the party's coffers. Not that we're using centralized control mechanisms to reduce MPs to servants of the Leader's Office, you understand. It's just that if you simply hold your seat your way, well, shucks, see ya later buddy. Know what I mean?