OTTAWA — Michael Ignatieff insisted Wednesday he has no plan to raise taxes, denying a report that he’s about to embark on a politically risky “adult conversation” with Canadians about the painful measures necessary to eliminate the country’s ballooning deficit.

While I tend to agree that a promise of raising taxes might not be the wisest strategy, what does it say about the state of our political system when party leaders have to deny reports that they’re going to treat the voters like adults?