Liberal leadership speculation

[Minstrel Boy]

Interesting to see Rae working the hospitality suite. I'd thought a Rae bid unlikely, but looks like I was wrong.

Grit leadership speculation mounts in NS

HALIFAX — They may have third-party status in Nova Scotia, but provincial Liberals aren't having any trouble attracting an A-list of their federal counterparts to this weekend's convention.

The annual meeting of Nova Scotia Liberals is providing a field day for those speculating about the federal Liberal leadership contest that was transformed into a wide-open race when outgoing Canadian ambassador Frank McKenna announced he would not seek the party's top job.

In addition to former Tory defector Belinda Stronach, the list of those who may be spotted working the hotel hospitality suites in Halifax includes Nova Scotia MP Scott Brison, former Ontario New Democrat premier Bob Rae and Toronto Liberal MPs Carolyn Bennett, Ken Dryden and Michael Ignatieff.

...

"I'm just here to meet some folks,'' Stronach, who represents the Ontario riding of Newmarket-Aurora, said Friday.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060303/liberal_leadership_060302/20060303?hub=Canada

Though this said he wasn't expected:

Air-India no longer in way of Rae's ambitions

OTTAWA - Bob Rae's reason for being coy about his Liberal leadership intentions has suddenly vanished.

For weeks the former Ontario NDP premier has been avoiding the subject on grounds he did not know whether the Conservative government would still need him as part of an Air-India inquiry.

However, it has now emerged Mr. Rae -- who tabled a report last year on the Air-India bombing -- is not required, further fuelling speculation he will run for the Liberal leadership.

...

He will not be among at least six potential candidates attending the annual meeting of Nova Scotia Liberals this weekend in Halifax, where his possible coming out as a candidate in the undeclared race was hotly rumoured.

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/politics/story.html?id=023c25c7-2802-426d-b26f-ee40bc157603&k=68964



And Volpe appears definite

Volpe going for Liberal leadership

Fresh off his successful campaign in the federal election, longtime politician Joe Volpe is now setting his sights on the leadership of the Liberal party.

Volpe, who on Jan. 23 was re-elected as MP for the Eglinton-Lawrence riding — a position he has held since 1988 — said it would only be fair to his supporters if he ran for the leadership.

"I think I owe it to everybody who has been encouraging me (to run for Liberal leadership) to put together, or to attempt to put together, the human resources and capital resources necessary to give it a good shot. If I can’t do that, then it won’t happen, but if I can do that, it will happen," said Volpe, who after the Liberal party’s defeat, was appointed by Bill Graham, the interim Liberal leader, as the Liberal critic for the Treasury Board.

"I’m hoping that my understanding and my vision for the country would be one that will attract people. I really believe in a country that’s growing," he said, adding that there’s no need to rush with his campaign since the Liberal party hasn’t yet set a date for its convention.

http://www.towncrieronline.ca/main/main.php?direction=viewstory&storyid=5230&rootcatid=&rootsubcatid=

[Minstrel Boy]

1. And now Robert Prichard and David McGuinty

From the Toronto Star:

...

The latest names being thrown into the highly speculative mix are Robert Prichard, president and CEO of Torstar Corp., and Liberal MP David McGuinty, brother of Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty.

David McGuinty, who represents an Ottawa riding, confirmed this week he's considering a leadership bid. Prichard's intentions are unknown.

"There's a lot of very, very, very substantial people who would love to see him run — and they're trying to persuade him to do it," former Ontario premier David Peterson said in an interview.

...

Stronach, who lost a Conservative leadership bid exactly two years ago, now appears to be among the most active organizers for a Liberal run. Her candidacy got a public boost this week from Reg Alcock, the defeated Treasury Board president from Winnipeg who was a Paul Martin supporter in the party's last race.

[Telly Savalas]

3. There was an article in the Toronto Star suggesting Gerard Kennedy

as a possibility. He's Ontario's Minister of Education who has a reputation of being a rather left-leaning Liberal. I'm too lazy to dig up a link, but I think the article was in Wednesday's paper.

[V. Kid]

2. This is called "Leadership"...

[MrPrax]

4. Christy Clark!!

is being tossed around by pundits in BC--Clark was/is subbing for the regular talkhost at the moment on a popular local show.

Carole Taylor, current BC Finance Minister/Liberal Hack has also been mentioned, although I think she has said, 'no'--but who knows...it's wide open and if Stronach is the ONLY potential female candidate, there might be 'wiggle' romm for another prominent Liberal gal to toss into the rink.

Taylor is popular out here and with many in the LPC federally--

[Minstrel Boy]

5. I've heard a strike against Taylor is her French

Dryden's, surprisingly, is lousy too.

It may not make a difference next election in Quebec - outside of West-End Montreal the Conservatives will likely be the default federalist option - but I don't think the Liberals can afford to elect a virtually unilingual leader. It would look like they're not even taking themselves seriously.

[Bassic]

6. Actually, if they do have a decent chief

A lot of federalists would probably go back to them, like in the Outaouais region (close to Ottawa). Maybe even in Québec-City although they are gradually becoming batshit crazy cons. I guess that could change anytime.

The main problem for any new Lib leader is to get rid of the attitude worn by Trudeauites and Chrétienites who tend to treat Québeckers as children. Twon examples are Jean Lapierre and Stéphane Dion.

If they can get a decent leader who speaks french better than Steve-O does, and they can clear up their image (might take some time), they'll make a come-back.

[Minstrel Boy]

7. "Bob Rae preparing bid for Liberal leadership"

Bob Rae preparing bid for Liberal leadership

TORONTO -- Former Ontario NDP premier Bob Rae, backed by former prime minister Jean Chretien's right-hand man, will set the stage Monday for a likely Liberal leadership run with a speech in Winnipeg outlining challenges Canada faces.

Rae, who will be the guest speaker at a Canadian Club luncheon, has yet to declare his intentions, but his name has come up frequently as a strong potential contender in the race to replace former prime minister Paul Martin.

Three high-ranking Liberal sources have said Eddie Goldenberg is in Rae's corner.

...

Rae and Goldenberg share a 30-year friendship and Goldenberg and Chretien are close to Rae's brother, John Rae, a Liberal fundraiser and executive at Power Corp.

http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/National/2006/03/11/1482498-sun.html