The big news out of Ignatieff’s closing speech from the Canada150 conference is his pledge to overturn scheduled cuts to the corporate tax rate.

I’m trying to find the exact figures, but I believe that would boost government revenue by 10-15 billion a year 5-6 billion a year (not taking into account any lost productivity). That’s not small change, and it answers the question of how the Liberals will be able to promise program spending and deficit reduction. And it’s certainly a lot easier to sell than an income tax or GST hike (or, ahem, a carbon tax).

So there you have the crux of the next election. The Conservatives will promise they’re good for business and the economy. The Liberals will promise spending initiatives and deficit reduction. As far as ideological clashes go, that’s not a bad debate to have. If we’re lucky, we might actually get an election that’s about something for a change.