Manley campaigns for Torsney, won't rule out leadership bid

By Daniel Nolan
The Hamilton Spectator
BURLINGTON (Jan 12, 2006)

Former Liberal leadership candidate John Manley rolled into town to boost the campaign of MP Paddy Torsney, but downplayed linking the visit to a future bid to succeed Prime Minister Paul Martin.

But a political scientist and a former Liberal party pollster don't doubt Manley's visit is part of a plan to keep his face and name before party members in case the Liberals lose the Jan. 23 election and a leadership race follows.

"I think all parties have perpetual leadership races going on," said Paul Hamilton, a political science professor at Brock University. "There's good reason for individuals to boost their profiles and support the grassroots, Paddy Torsney, because they are the people that vote for the leader."

With polls indicating the Liberals have fallen behind the Conservatives in public support, including some predicting the Tories may form a majority government, some high-profile Liberals are said to be manoeuvring to replace Martin if those predictions prove correct.

Chief among the names mentioned have been Manley and former New Brunswick premier Frank McKenna, now ambassador to the United States.

Manley literally rolled into town yesterday to help Torsney in her battle to hold on to the seat she's held since 1993. They arrived by train at the Burlington GO station, from Oakville, at about dinnertime and greeted commuters pouring out of the station. Manley later attended a fundraiser.

The former deputy prime minister and finance minister said Torsney is one of a number of Liberal candidates he's visiting. He said he was in Quebec recently to help former astronaut Marc Garneau and plans to be in Ottawa and Deep River next week for fundraisers.

Asked about his leadership aspirations, Manley told reporters: "We'll see. There's no leadership campaign now. I'm not going to speculate on that right now."

When pressed, he said: "I never said I wouldn't come back and the opportunity to come back is something we'll have to analyse, if it arises. ... I have not ruled it out, but I'm not going to speculate."

Manley withdrew from the Liberal leadership race in the summer of 2003 when it became clear Martin was way out in front and he could not mount a creditable challenge. Among his supporters from caucus were Torsney and former Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Aldershot MP John Bryden.

Pollster Michael Marzolini, who used to do polling for the Liberal party, does not doubt Manley's sincerity in coming to Burlington to help Torsney, especially since she supported him against Martin. He said Manley owes Torsney a favour for that support and politics is all about IOUs. But he said the subtext is a leadership bid.

"That's the subtext in every political party," said Marzolini. "If (New Brunswick premier) Bernard Lord was mainstreeting in Toronto, people would be saying, 'If Harper doesn't work, here's the spare.'"

Torsney stressed a few times to reporters there is no leadership race and she believed Martin is "doing a fabulous job in the campaign." But she spoke glowingly about Manley's record when asked if he would make a good leader.

"Absolutely," she said. "I mean we worked on issues together. We worked on international things together. ... I've been very lucky to work with Mr. Manley and many other talented people in the cabinet."

dnolan@thespec.com

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